


Reluctant Assassin

by MizUnderstood2136



Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Modern AU, zev's a stripper
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-24
Updated: 2017-10-07
Packaged: 2018-11-18 15:03:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 32,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11293131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MizUnderstood2136/pseuds/MizUnderstood2136
Summary: Zevran Arainai is tasked by the Antivan Crows to pose as a stripper at a bachelorette party for one Leliana. Where her friend the Grey Warden Ilyriene Mahariel will be in attendance. He is to kill the lovely little white haired elf, but can he?One look at her and all hope is lost.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> SO - A lovely artist on Tumblr - https://kauriart.tumblr.com/ - did the whole artist thing as a commission, and created a very sexy policeman stripper Zevran. And posed a challenge of sorts for someone to write up an AU piece about Zev the stripper man. 
> 
> So I did. Ish. 
> 
> I think it works.  
> :D  
> Enjoy!

**Zevran -**

 

He stood at the counter, the kitchen light off. His long blonde hair pulled back in a tie, his pointed ears pierced. The tattoo on his face starkly visible in the light from the street light shining in through the window. He played with a cigarette, twirling it between his fingers, avoiding the urge to light it. The light on his phone blinked at him. Bright red. The Crows. He sighed. He was tired of the game. Undercover. Assassinations. Poison? Yep. Knives? Yep. Bullets, another yep. He rubbed a hand over his face, muttered a curse word under his breath and flicked the screen on his phone. After keying in his password, he brought up the message.

 

 **Tomorrow. 10 pm. Bachelorette party in Val Royeaux, in the Royal Gardens, for one Leliana, companion to a Grey Warden, named Ilyriene Mahariel. Mahariel must die. Said Warden is also companion to the Warden Alistair Therin. Cannot stress the importance of this Wardens death. Contract bought by** **_royalty_ ** **. General Loghain himself.**

**Last chance, Arainai.**

**Fuck up again, and die.**

Under that was a picture of a laughing white haired woman. Elven woman. She had dark green? Green blue? Eyes. She looked so young. He sighed.

 

He made a fist and almost threw the phone across the room. He opted for throwing the cigarette. It flopped to the floor a few feet away. He growled. It was a 6 hour drive from here to Val Royeaux. He went to his room and packed a bag. The “stripper cop” uniform. The plastic baton, real handcuffs, the stupid hat. He went to his closet, shuffled his clothes aside, pressed his thumb to a little green backlit panel in the wall. A door swung open with a whooshing sound. He perused the contents of the safe. On the right were several little bottles of poison. A row of sterile syringes in the center. And a few other odds and ends. He grabbed a bottle of deathroot extract. A few syringes and the little set of throwing needles. He put them into the lead lined bag he always took his _other_ weapons in. Went back to his bed and dropped it into the leather duffel. Reached down and checked his ankle holster for his dagger. Grabbed his black leather coat off the chair and slipped it on. Grimaced as he grabbed his duffel, zipping it as he walked back through the apartment. In the front room he got his phone and keys. Went to the front door, and set his state of the art alarm system, then went out and locked it. He walked to his car, a 1980 Stingray Corvette. Mint condition. His _baby_.

“At least you love me, you delectable creature,” he said to it in a low voice as he climbed in. He tossed the bag into the passenger seat, put the key in the ignition and grinned as it roared to life. He turned on the radio, and “I Will Not Bow” by Breaking Benjamin came on.

“Ah the irony,” he mumbled as he put the car in gear and peeled away from the curb.

 

He had a Warden to kill.

 

**The Next Afternoon - Val Royeaux**

 

Leliana sighed. “Ily come out here!” she yelled towards the bathroom. We had gotten a hotel suite with 3 beds and a mega bathroom for themselves. A treat after the last few months of travelling non stop.

I sat on the side of the tub, tugging down the hem of the dress Leliana was trying to get me to wear. I eyed myself in the mirror hanging from the bathroom door. My white hair was braided loosely over my shoulder, my makeup dark and “smoky”, I had chain earrings dangling from my ears, with a long black chain draped from my ear lobe to the tip of my ear. A black satin choker on my neck. The dark teal dress was sinfully tight. It was strapless, and made to look like 2 strips of cloth wrapping around me over and over, with little bits of my skin peeking through here and there. I felt half naked. I had black tall heeled boots on and I was still short.

“Why am I wearing this?” I yelled out the door. I could hear Leliana giggle. “Because you are not wearing leather pants to my bachelorette party,” she exclaimed. Just as I knew she would. I stood up and turned to look at the back of the dress. “You can almost see my butt,” I whined. She laughed again. Then the door opened and she gasped. “Oh! You're stunning! Look! You have legs! Ah I'm very glad Ali isn't here. I want him to only have eyes for me.” She sighed. I loved them being in love. At first, it seemed as though he was steering towards me. But I had seen Leliana eyeing him after Lothering. And, seeing as he was a handsome human, and she was a gorgeous human, and neither were attached. I went about getting them together. I even got Morrigan to help me. She was reluctant at first but it became a trial and thus more fun.

She was off making sure the limo got here on time. Leliana squealed and ran over to me, her arms wrapping around me. “Thank you Ily, I love you!” she whispered. I sighed.

“I love you too, you goofball. Can we go? While I can still think straight?”

Leliana nodded and ran back out to the bed where her stuff was. She looked as “stunning” as I. She had this bright green satin dress that dipped low in the front and tied at her waist. Her red hair was a riot of curls around her flushed face. She was practically shaking with excitement. We had managed to invite a few of her friends from “before” the Chantry. A woman named Josephine she was very eager to see. I sighed and went to my bed, grabbing my wrap and small purse. Felt my thigh through the dress, and there snug and tiny, my best dagger. I was mildly disgusted at myself for not leaving it behind. But seriously.

With everything that had happened in the last few months.. Better safe than sorry. I followed her out the door, checking my purse for the key card before closing it.

Leliana grabbed my arm as we headed to the elevator. She pressed the button and talked my ear off. Telling me about Josephine, and another one of their adventures. I hoped one day she would remember me with that much enthusiasm. I couldn't help but smile though. She was deliriously happy. As was Alistair. Gooey eyed little love birds. Morrigan thought it was as great as I did, though she was far less open about how she felt about it all. We finally got downstairs and Morrigan was waiting outside by the white limo. She was wearing a black and purple long dress, that tied behind her neck and clung to her body in all the right places. And even wearing sandals she was still taller than me. Her eyebrows shot up when she saw me.

“Well! I owe you ten bucks Leli. You got her into the dress!” she exclaimed. I choked. “Seriously? Taking bets on what I'd wear?” Leliana just laughed as the driver held open the door for her. She climbed in after a sing song thank you, then Morrigan and I followed.

“Oooh!” she exclaimed. “Ativan brandy!” She poured a little into a glass and sniffed it. Then she downed it. I laughed. “Brave tonight?” I challenged her. She just raised her pretty eyebrow and chuckled. She checked her phone, and heaved a happy sigh. “Alistair says hi,” she informed us. I shook my head. “Tell him goodbye, woman and put that away. Or I'll take it away and lock it with a code you'll never guess!”

She glared at me. I gave her the eyebrow. She giggled and messaged him back. Then she handed me her phone. “Keep it, please?” and I nodded, slipping it into my purse. I pulled my boot to see if I could get it any higher. “Stop that,” Morrigan told me. “It's fine. It's fabulous. You look amazing. Leave it alone!” I stuck my tongue out at her. She laughed and I just sighed. Resigned, I looked out the window as we travelled through the city. It was marvelous, really. All gleaming and white, even at night. After a few minutes, we pulled to a stop. The driver used his little speaker, “We are here ladies. I'll be right out here when you are done. Go have fun,” he said with a chuckle at Leliana's overjoyed squeal. Morrigan climbed out and stood there with her mouth hanging open. “Well look at that,” she said. I climbed out and looked and I could understand her state. The Royal Gardens was a very exclusive club on the top floor of the biggest hotel we had ever seen. We had rented out a room for the party. Leliana finally climbed out behind me and promptly grabbed Morrigan and myself, dragging us to the door. Just inside a woman stood. Dark curly black hair, dark golden skin, a gold satin dress on and brilliant gold strappy sandals. She lit up when she saw Leliana and they ran to embrace. “Maker, how I've missed you!” Leliana said happily. She pulled the woman to where we stood.

“Ladies, this is Josie. Josie, Ilyriene and Morrigan. Aaah! This is so exciting!” We all laughed and said our hello’s. Josie spoke up, “The room is already set up, and some of the other girls are already up there. Our entertainment should be here at any moment.” We all headed to the elevator. As we waited for the doors to open, I felt something. I looked around but didn't see anyone. I was getting paranoid. We stepped into the elevator and headed up. “I hired a stripper,” Josie said to me in a hushed tone. I covered my mouth. Leliana was going to die. Maybe even literally. Josie and I shared a look. Tonight was going to be fun, I thought as we exited the elevator. A door opened to the left of us and a young blonde woman came running out. And after more excited introductions we went into the room. It was dark, well mostly. There were some black lights and a few strategically placed lamps. As I stepped into the room, my hair began to glow. Morrigan laughed. I just sighed. Everyone introduced themselves, and shots were taken all around. I coughed as the tequila went down.

We were all chatting when a loud banging on the door startled me. My hand went to my thigh before I could stop it, though Morrigan grabbed my arm before I did anything. I just mouthed a thank you and she nodded. Josie ran to open the door, and there stood a police officer. I coughed, to cover up my laughter. Worst costume ever. Dude was far too ripped to be wearing.. That. I tilted my head as Josie dragged him into the room. My eyebrows shot up. An elf? He looked around and when he saw Leliana wearing her “bride to be” sash he let out a laugh, and with a snap of his fingers, music poured out of speakers we couldn't see. He started to dance. Gyrating his hips, making all these lustful faces and trying a little too hard. I stayed off to the side, as Josie got him a chair, putting it right in front of Leliana. He ripped open his shirt and I was mildly surprised at his body. Tightly muscled, golden tan. Gorgeous. I felt my pulse quicken. Surprised I took a step forward before I caught myself. I crossed my arms and watched more. He looked at me over Leliana’s head, chewed his lip as he dropped his shirt in Leliana’s hands. She giggled and the other girls started waving money around. I rolled my eyes. He stood up and moved to shake his rear at them, and with a swoosh.. His pants were gone. The other girls cheered him on, as he started to give Leliana a lap dance, in his tiny little black thong. The tiny black thong that left very little to the imagination. I wondered for a moment of it was all _him_. I watched as his back muscles twitched and moved. I started to blush.. Thankful for the dim lighting. After a minute more, Leliana was calling for him to give his attentions to anyone else. One of the others raised her hand and he pulled her down onto his chair, he bent down and shook his hips at her. She gave this high pitched sigh, and I rolled my eyes again. When I looked back, his bright eyes were on me as he danced, and I raised an eyebrow at the scrutiny. He cocked this.. Smile at me, as his blonde hair fell over his left eye. I shook my head and looked at my phone.

As I looked down, I saw it. A hypodermic needle inside his combat boot. Maybe he was diabetic? Maybe I was full of shit. My blood began to boil. Seriously? Tonight of all nights? I thought furiously, on what I could do. Then I smiled. I put my hand on my hip and caught his eye. He gave me this triumphant grin, and with a kiss to her hand, he lifted the other woman from the chair, and beckoned me. I argued, but I let Leliana pull me to the chair. The man smiled at me, and set about dancing in front of me, his hips moving with the music. It was almost sad. He was.. Drop dead gorgeous. I gave him a wan smile and he raised his eyebrow and I shrugged. A challenge. He turned around, his back to me. And as he danced and waved his butt at me.. I pretended to sneeze and snatched the needle from his boot. No one noticed. I slipped it into my own boot. I whistled, letting him think I enjoyed the show.

Little did he know how much.

  


**Zevran -**

 

For the love of all that's good. These women were ridiculous. Pawing at his butt, touching him. It was part of the “job” but still. The only one he was interested in was apparently his target. Such was the way of things.

Ah but when he managed to snag _her_ attention? His pulse raced. She sat on the chair behind him and he put more effort into the dance that would probably end her life. He shook his hips, heard her sneeze and never saw it coming. She put her hands on his hips and pulled him into her lap. She ran her hands up his chest, much to the other women's delight. Then her lips touched his ear, as he felt something cold against his back. “I took your needle,” she whispered, and his blood ran cold. “Keep dancing if you want to live,” she said, sending a chill down his spine. She let him go and he stood and turned to face him. She gave a little wave, with this tiny dagger in her hand. He narrowed his eyes as he kept dancing, trying to figure out what her game was. She raked her eyes down his body. When her eyes returned to his she smiled, and it wasn't very reassuring. The music stopped and so did he. She raised her hand and snapped.. Oh look, music! He sighed and started dancing anew. He turned to face the bride to be and tried to think fast while he danced. Maybe there was some way to salvage this. The women started sticking the money into his thong, and he grew worried the longer the white haired Angel kept the music playing. She stayed between him and the door. After another hour, countless lap dances and more drunk-woman-giggles, the Angel let the music lapse.

  


**Ilyriene -**

 

He looked confident still. Despite what I had done. When I finally let the music subside, I went to my purse and dug out the cards I had stashed there earlier. “Ladies, you go start enjoying the casino! I'm going to escort our lovely _policeman_ back to his car and see to it he is paid well for all the fun.” They all cheered and each got a card. Thanks to Alistairs uncle, they were all given several hundred dollars each to go gamble away. The stripper moved to get dressed and I tsked at him. After everyone but Morrigan left, I pulled her aside. “I might not be back for a while. Distract Leliana and tell her not to worry.” She looked at the man with pity and nodded to me. Then she left the room and shut the door behind her.

I turned and looked at him. “You look ridiculous,” I said with a sneer. He laughed. “What can I do? You have me at quite.. A disadvantage, my lady,” he said, his Antivan accent heavy. I snorted. He started to pace, and started talking.

“This is no reflection on you as a person, you see, but I _was_ hired to kill you. You are the Gray Warden, are you not?” he asked me. I nodded, keeping a wary eye on him.

He sighed dramatically. “I thought as much. Well. I am glad to have met such an enchanting creature. Perhaps in another life, I could have given you pleasure, rather than death,” and then he pounced. Towards his bag. But I got there first, and had my dagger at his throat before he could move another inch. I pierced the skin, barely. A tiny bead of blood appeared at the tip of the the dagger.

“You.. Are very fast,” he said quietly. His eyes were on mine. I smiled. “I'm a lot of things. Who hired you?” I asked. He smiled then. “General Loghain.”

I almost stepped back. “Seriously?” He started to nod but thought better of it. “Yes. He did. I can show you the message of you like.” I smirked.

“Yeah, no. Why did you tell me so readily?”

“Because I'm paid to bring death, not silence. Unless specified otherwise. And it wasn't. So, I tell you. What other choice do I have? You literally hold my very important life in your gorgeous hands.”

I chuckled. He was good.

I kicked his bag out of his reach. “I'm going to remove my dagger, and you should get dressed. Make one move towards me or the bag and I will end you. Understand?” I said it all quietly. He swallowed. “Yes.” I stepped back and motioned with the dagger. He bend and got his pants from the floor. “Go on, fix them,” I said with a smile. He muttered under his breath as he set about snapping them back together. Once he was finished he put them on, leaving them unbuttoned. I held out my hand. “Give me the cash,” I ordered. He frowned. “What do you want it for? I'll be on every Antivan Crow hit list, I'm going to need that to run.” My eyebrow arched. An Antivan Crow. That explained so much. I considered. Was I going to let him live? I shrugged. “Then pocket it please.. You look even more ridiculous with it just hanging out of your underwear.” He complied quickly, then moved to get his shirt. He put it on and left it unbuttoned.

“What do you plan to do with me?” he asked. I cocked my head to the side and shrugged at him. I had no idea. I _did_ know I was removing him from the premises. Then who knew.

“Button your shirt,” I ordered. He narrowed his eyes but did so. I bent and grabbed his bag, took it to where mine was sitting a few feet away. My eyes never left him as I felt the outside of his duffel. I grinned when I felt a pair of handcuffs. I reached into the bag and felt around until I found them. I pulled them out. “Where’s the key?” I asked. He shook his head. “Oh come on. Where is it?”

“No.”

I got up and walked towards him. He backed up until he hit the couch and fell back. He sat there, eyes wide as he watched me get closer. I put my left knee between his legs, bent down and pointed my dagger at his nose. “Tell. Me. Now.” He swallowed. “It.. Shit. It's in my..” he coughed. “My thong.” I surprised us both with a laugh.

“Get it out,” I said with a chuckle. He shook his head.

“Really? I'm right here with a knife in your face but you say no?”

He nodded. “Ah. Alright then. Give me your hand.” He raised his right hand. And within seconds I had his wrist handcuffed to the rail on the wall behind the couch.

“How do you move so fast?” he sputtered. I grinned.

“I learned early,” I said with a sigh. “Now get that damn key. Or I will.” He proceeded to sit on his other hand. I sighed. Walked my fingers down his chest. His skin shivered beneath them. I reached the waist of his underwear and he watched my hand. I slipped one finger into it. “Still a no?” I asked. He swallowed and said nothing. I shrugged. I leaned my hip on his leg, which just slid my dress up higher. His eyes dropped to my leg. I smirked. “Do you really want to test this?” I gave him one last shot. He just sat there. “I have more daggers on me, so don't try anything stupid,” I warned before putting my dagger between my teeth. I leaned forward, used one hand to pull his thong and who names these things?! I slipped my other hand inside and his eyes went huge. When I touched him, he stopped breathing. And damned if that .. Wasn't all him. My fingers curled around his cock and he let out this strangled breath. I felt around a bit for a moment, my face getting red but I started this.

So damnit I was going to finish it. And there.. It was.. Nestled between his now not quite soft cock and his balls. I muttered this “Ah hah!” when I found it and I'm fairly certain I heard him mutter “Fuck me,”. I kept my hand there, and reached up to remove the dagger from my mouth.

“What was that?” I asked innocently. He shook his head.

“Oh, come now. I have my hand,” and I stroked him just a bit, “on your man bits. Did you really say ‘fuck me’? Was that an invitation? A plea? A ‘oh Maker, she's going to cut my other head off?’ or were you just perturbed I found the key you so cleverly hid?” His eyes got all unfocused as I moved my hand.

“I, ah, I think the Crows might have underestimated you a bit,” he whispered. I nodded. “Now what to do with you. I think we are going to go back to my hotel and I'm going to snag another room so I can interrogate you further. And so you can't ruin Leliana's night.” I gave him a little squeeze and let him go, drawing the key out with my first two fingers.

I moved, and unlocked his wrist, all while the dagger was trained on his armpit. I moved back while he rubbed his wrist.

“Make yourself presentable. We leave in 3 minutes.” I turned around and went back to the bags on the floor. I could hear him zipping his pants, then silence while I assumed he fixed his shirt. When I looked over my shoulder he was standing there staring at me. I motioned him towards me, and he reluctantly walked towards me. More like stalked. He wasn't looking thrilled. “Why can't you just kill me now?” he asked me belligerently. I just studied him.

“Do you want to die?” I asked quietly. He stopped. And actually thought about it. “It would probably be easier. In the long run. For me. I failed. The Crows.. Are not a forgiving organization. And they have a long reach.”

I sighed. “What if I don't want you dead? Yet.”

“Why? I can give you whatever information I have. Which isn't much. But in exchange you can just kill me. Get it over with.”

I stared at him. Where was the confidence I saw while he was dancing? “Why are you so pressed to die? Do you have nothing worth living for? No one?”

He shook his head. “I'm an orphan and already on my last chance with the Crows. Just do it.”

“Contrary to popular belief, and contrary to the fact that I'm very very.. Good at killing people. I don't enjoy it. I don't go around just stabby stabby.”

“Well you should in this case.”

“No. You're coming with me. Then we'll talk. Please don't make me kill you by making stupid choices,” I said softly. He sighed. “Fine fine, whatever you want.”

I smirked. Maybe so.

I zipped his bag after ascertaining there were no more surprises. I handed it to him and When he reached for it I handcuffed his wrist. Then put the other over my wrist. “Oops?” I said.

“Are you serious?” he asked me. I nodded.

“We're going to walk out of here like we very much want each other and we’re going to go down the elevator and go get into my limo. No mistakes. Got me?” He nodded. I slipped the dagger into my bracelet, and stepped close to him. Slipped my left arm under his right, entwined my fingers with his.

“Smile, we're being watched.”

And I opened the door with my hand and with a brilliant smile I pulled him out into the corridor.

We walked along, smiling and acting like ardent lovers. We got to the elevator, and when we were inside, alone, I turned to him and backed him into the wall. Ran my hand down his chest. Whispered, “Cameras. Make it look real.”

He nodded, and his free hand snaked around me to grip my butt. I pressed close and put my mouth to his ear.

“I don't want to kill you,” I whispered. His eyes closed. He pressed his face against my neck. When the doors opened with a *Ping*, I “reluctantly” pulled away and pulled him out the door. He smiled and followed. I went to the doors and the Limo driver saw me. I laughed when he asked if I was enjoying myself. I held up my hand and he got a good laugh.

“We want to go back to my hotel. Mind if we have some privacy?” He just chuckled and nodded after opening the door for me. I let him get in first. Then I slid in next to him. The door closed and I waited silently for the driver to get back in and start the drive. I got out my phone and texted Morrigan.

**Me -**

**Guy is an assassin, but seems reluctant. I'm going back to the hotel and getting a new room. Need to figure this out.**

 

**Morrigan -**

**Was he after you?**

 

**Me -**

**Of course. Not gonna let it ruin Leli’s night. Tell her I wanted the stripper. And I'm off having fun. It's half true anyways lol**

 

**Morrigan -**

**Say what now?**

 

**Me -**

**This is fun and I might be attracted. But the whole thing is weird. I'll let you know later. I don't think he likes his job. Cuz he sucked at it.**

 

**Morrigan -**

**Be careful! Have fun!**

 

**Me -**

**I'll leave Leli’s phone with the driver. Have fun.**

**XOXOXOX**

 

And I turned my phone off.

 

“I suck do I?” he asked me. I forgot he was next to me.

“Uhm yes.. Sorry. But I'd be dead otherwise.”

“I'll have you know..” he started to say then thought better of it.

I patted his leg.

He looked at my hand.

“Why?” he asked me.

“Because something feels off and I want to know why.”

He sighed.

“What's your name?” I asked.

“Zevran, Zevran Arainai. At your service,” he said with a hand flourish.

I smiled. “Ilyriene Mahariel. But I suspect you knew that.” He nodded.

“The picture did not do you justice, madam.”

I snorted.

“Do you doubt your beauty?” he asked.

I just looked out the window. We were almost there. “When we get there we’re going to the front desk to get an extra room. Don’t be stupid. I can be nice or very mean. Don’t make me choose.” He nodded.   
When the limo stopped, the driver came around and opened the door for me. I smiled and thanked him, handed him Leliana’s phone. “Give this to the bride to be? Please? And go back to wait for them. I’ll make sure to add a nice tip to your fee’s.” He nodded and tipped his head. “Have a good night you two,” he said with a laugh before going back to the limo. I led Zevran inside, and went to the front desk. The lady there greeted me warmly, and I asked for another room near where we were staying. She gave a giggle and did as I asked. I asked her to put it on my credit card since it was already on file. She nodded, and handed me a new key card. Wished me an awesome night. I wiggled my eyebrows and dragged Zevran away from the counter.   
“You are incorrigible,” he said as we walked towards the elevator. I just laughed.   
We rode the elevator up to the 10th floor and walked to the room that was 4 away from the suite. I unlocked the door and pushed him through it. When the door closed, I latched the dead bolt and motioned him into the room. I reached into my dress and pulled out the key to the handcuffs, and unlocked us both. He sat on the bed and watched me with wary eyes, rubbing his wrist.   
“It’s not enjoyable being on the ‘controlled’ end is it?” I asked him as I walked to the liquor cart. I dropped my purse next to it and grabbed a bottle of brandy. I poured a bit into a couple glasses and carried one to him.   
“Drink,” I said before tossing mine back.   
And that burned. But ah it felt good.   
He followed suit, handing me back the glass. Wise man. I put the empty glasses back onto the cart and stood there looking at him. “What now?” he asked me.   
I thought a minute. What now? He _had_ tried to kill me. But he failed. Spectacularly.

“Tell me why I had no trouble disarming you,” I said.   
“What do you mean?” he took his hat off and ran  his fingers through his hair. Long and golden blonde. Ah but he was pretty.   
“You didn’t have your guard up. You let _me_ get close to you. It was like.. You weren’t even trying.”

He sighed. “In truth I wasn’t. It’s a long stupid story. We don’t, uh, see eye to eye any more. The Crows and I. I am tired of killing people for other people.”   
I was surprised. “A reluctant assassin. Who would have thought?”

He just shrugged at me.   
“Do you know anything more about your contract?” I asked.   
He shook his head. “I can show you the message I got but it really only tells me what I have told you. You were the target, General Loghain hired me and even if I had succeeded, I would have seen maybe 5% of what the Crow’s charged him.”   
I frowned. Loghain. That bastard was going to continue to be a thorn in my side.   
“Alright. Do you want to die?” I asked him, my voice quiet.   
“If living means going back to the Crows, then no.”

I sighed.   
“Might I propose a compromise?” he offered. I nodded.

“I don’t want to actually die. I like living. And all the lovely things it has to offer. You seem the sort to live. You live a lot from what I hear. What if I pledged my loyalty to you?”   
“Just like that?”

“The Crows don’t pay me enough to stay loyal, and they’ll kill me for tonight anyways. At least you have a cause. And you are much lovelier to look at than them.”  
I smirked,

“How could I trust you after you literally came here to kill me?”

“Oh, I am sure something can be arranged. It’s not like you had a hard time thwarting me the first time. You seem a wily sort. Besides, my loyalty is strong. You let me live, I stay loyal. It’s a win-win. For us both.”  
“Alright. I’ll bite. How is it a win for me?”   
“Ah. I am lovely to look at as well. I am also well trained in .. many sexual matters. And I am handy with all manner of weapons. Except needles apparently.”

“So, if I let you live, you join me and the other Warden and help us against Loghain?”  
“Aye. And anything else you require.”   
“Such as?”

“Shall I spell it out? I find you immensely attractive. You have literally had your hand down my pants. What more is there to say?”

I thought about it.   
“We have a deal.” I surprised myself. Again. His eyebrows hiked halfway up his forehead.   
“Truly? You let me live and I join you?”

I nodded. “I am curious though,” I said.   
“About?”

“Why would you hide a key.. In your underwear?”  
He laughed. I smiled.   
“Because most people wouldn’t go after it.”   
“I am not most people.”   
“No. You most certainly are not.”

“Is that a problem?”

He shook his head. Then he stood up. And walked towards me. My heart started to thud heavy in my chest. He stopped right in front of me.   
“Are you afraid?” he asked me quietly. I shook my head. He sighed. “Ah well, I can’t always win.” He went to move and I reached out, grabbed his arm. He looked down at my hand. I dropped it and wondered at what I was doing. He looked at my face, arched an eyebrow. He turned back towards me and kept walking towards me this time. I backed up, until I hit the desk against the wall. He put his hands on the desk on either side of me, his face close to mine. I reached up and threaded my fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes. I leaned forward and kissed him. His eyes shot open, and after a moment of surprise, he kissed me back. My mouth opened beneath his, and his tongue swept into mine. I sighed and fell into it. After a long few minutes, of deep wet kissing, he pulled away. His hands moved to my sides and lifted me onto the desk. It was a tall one, my feet didn’t even come close to the floor. I ripped his shirt open and laughed. “That’s surprisingly handy!” I ran my hands up his chest, pushing the shirt off his shoulders. He let it drop to the floor.

He brought his hands to my face, and after kissing me, his mouth moved to my neck. He rubbed his teeth on the cord on my neck, making me gasp. His hands slid down my shoulders, and his fingers hooked into the top of my dress. He looked into my eyes as he pulled it down, inch by inch. Eventually, he freed my breasts.   
“Aah. These are lovely, indeed.” His left hand moved to cup the right one. He ran his thumb lightly over my nipple, smiling when it beaded under his touch. His other hand did the same, lavishing attention on the left breast. I sighed. His hands were hot and soft, with an underlying strength.

“You are very soft,” he said. I just waited. I ran my hands down his stomach, through the smattering of hair trailing into his pants. His stomach muscles twitched beneath my hands. My fingers unbuttoned his pants, and I slid my hands inside, around his hips to grip his butt. He growled deep in his throat, slid his hands down my body, down my hips, my thighs, to the hem of my dress. He started to pull it up, slowly. His finger eventually reached the garter I had on my left thigh. “And look what we have here,” he said. He pulled the little dagger free, and dropped it to the floor. His hands resumed their trek up my legs, raising my dress higher and higher. His mouth claimed mine again before his hand pushed my legs apart. He moved to stand between them, his legs spreading mine further. As his tongue tangled with mine, I pulled my hands back to the front of his pants, hooked my fingers into his underwear and pants, and dragged them down his hips just enough to free his cock. His breath caught and he stopped moving when my hand wrapped around him. I pulled my lips from his and smiled. My thumb rubbed against the tip, gathering the bead of moisture there. He tried to breathe, and it took effort.   
“You have talented hands,” he said shakily. I stroked him once.. Twice. Wrapped my other hand around him, twisting as I stroked him. His hand reached between my legs, and found me, wet and wanting. “You were.. Wearing no underwear tonight?” he asked me, his voice conveying shock. I laughed.

“Did you see the dress? How would that have worked? Besides, easy.. Easy access,” my voice broke when he slid a finger between my lower lips, to graze it against my clit.   
“Ah your eyes go almost black when you are aroused.” And he did it again, this loose circle around my clit. I bit my lip and he slid a finger inside me. My head fell back as he began to rub me, inside and out. Finger thrusting, thumb on my clit. The man had magic fingers.

His mouth moved to my neck, as my hands kept stroking him. “Is this truly what you desire?” he asked me, his voice husky. I nodded. Then his hands were removing mine, sliding under me and lifting me against his chest. My arms wrapped around his neck and he carried me to the bed. He laid me on my back and hooked his hands into my dress, peeling it off of me, then he unzipped and removed my boots. I laid there naked on the bed, and he just stared down at me. “White haired angel,” he said, his voice soft. He took off his boots and the rest of his clothes. When he settled on top of me on the bed, he removed the tie from my braided hair, and threaded his fingers through it. “Softer than I imagined.” I just watched him. He looked at my face finally.   
“This is all very strange,” he said with a smirk. I chuckled. Rubbed my hands down his sides.   
“It is. But.. I’m not complaining. Want to know something?” I asked him quietly. He nodded.   
“When you came into the room tonight, I thought your costume terrible. Still do really. But.. you? You took my breath away.”   
“Ah. Last night, when I got the text about the job. And I opened the picture, you stopped my heart. Literally. First time I ever doubted my job.”

I cocked my head. “Did you want to get caught?”

“I would have said no. But after I saw you, standing there all aloof and ignoring me? Ah you struck something inside me.”

I could feel myself starting to blush, heat moving up my neck.  

“Are you blushing?” he asked me. The blush intensified.

“You.. Are fascinating.”

His mouth descended to mine then, softly kissing me. His thumb pulled my jaw down, allowing his tongue to delve deep into my mouth. I let myself drown in the kiss. Who knew when this much of anything would happen for me again.. If it would.

His hand wandered down my left side, lifting my leg and wrapping it around his hip. His hand slid up my leg, and around me to grip my butt. He shifted his hips, rubbing his cock against me. His hand joined his cock, circling my clit, making me writhe under him.

He pulled his mouth from mine and pressed it to my ear. “Come for me, Angel. Give me your pleasure..”

His voice in my ear sent shivers coursing through me, his hand wringing little whimpers from me. My hand grabbed his wrist, and I moaned when I finally came, my body trembling beneath his.   
“Oh, now isn’t that glorious?” he murmured in my ear. Then, as I was still shaking and throbbing, he slowly slid his cock inside me. He gave a low groan as he started to thrust his hips. My legs wrapped around him, keeping him close. He grasped my hands, pulling them above our head, his face buried against my neck. He was so hot inside me, his hips taking him deeper and deeper. I couldn’t stay quiet, moans escaping me again and again. He set this rhythm that swept me along, tension building and setting me on fire. He lifted his head and looked down at me. Gold eyes, framed by gold lashes, his hair falling from behind his ear.

“I want to watch your face,” he whispered, as his thrusts quickened. I tried to look at him but whatever was happening inside me closed my eyes and dragged a groan out of me. “Such an expressively lovely face,” he said, one of his hands taking both of mine, and the other moving to my cheek, turning me to face him. He then slid said hand down my neck, my chest, my side, to between us. He found my clit, and started to rub, tight tiny circles that made me twitch against him.   
“Pleasepleasepleaseplease,” this running mantra from my face, as he pushed me further and further. The tension was incredible, throbbing and pulsing inside me. Finally.. I cried out as I came, my back arching as my body clenched on his cock. Trembling and shaking, I tried to breathe, but he kept moving, thrusting and rubbing my clit. He threw his head back as he grunted out his own release, hot and throbbing, deep inside me. He thrust once.. Twice more, and kind of collapsed on top of me, his face next to mine. I was still trying to breathe, and he chuckled in my ear, his own breath choppy.   
“That..” he took another breath, “was unexpected. To say the least.”

I could barely nod. My heart was still racing, my ears ringing. We laid there, all tangled up, for what felt like hours. Eventually he rolled off of me, onto his side facing me. I closed my eyes and just breathed. His hand came to rest on my stomach, dark against my pale skin.   
“What does this mean?” he asked me quietly. I looked at him, brushed the hair from his face. “I don’t know,” I answered honestly.   
“Sex was always.. An enjoyable tool before,” he said. “I rarely did it just.. For me. This?” he gestured towards me. “This was all about you and I. No job. No mission. Just pure pleasure.” I nodded. Didn’t have the heart to tell him that I haven’t been with anyone in long enough that this whole explosion of attraction caught me off guard. And just looking at him made me want him again.   
“What say you? We can.. Explore this more. This whatever it is. And see where it goes. And you gain me and my considerable talents.”

I squinted. “Explore this sexually?”

He nodded. I rolled onto my side facing him. “I could easily find myself falling for someone like you, Zevran Arainai. I’m not sure I am up for that kind of heartache.”  
He smiled then. “Then we are in the same boat. Because I am already smitten and I just met you.” He reached out, ran his finger down my left cheek, “I am game, if you are, white haired Angel.”

I hesitantly nodded.   
He leaned forward and brushed his lips against mine. Then he rolled off the bed, went to his bag, and retrieved his phone. He wiggled it at me, then walked into the bathroom. Curious, I got up and followed, leaned against the doorframe. He watched me as he dropped it into the toilet. We watched it fizzle and die in the water. He walked to me, lifted my hand to his mouth, and brushed my hair away from my cheek, smiling this half smile.   
“To new beginnings?” he said, his voice husky. I nodded, and he leaned down to kiss me, before scooping me up, carrying me back to the bed, and showing me all over again those considerable talents of his.  


	2. Assassin Says What?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ily decides that Zevran was accompanying them on their mad quest to save the world. It takes some convincing, but everyone eventually falls in line and accepts her new companion. They go on a few dates, fun is had. Sexy times too

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah! Thank you all for reading about the sexy Antivan Assassin! I wanted to let you know how to pronounce Ilyriene - a friend asked and I realized not everyone is in my head like I am lol  
> Ee-lee-ree-end(without the d), Eelee for short?

**A Few Days Later -**

 

Zevran sat on the bed, listening to Ilyriene argue with .. Everyone. Alistair had come back the day after the, well the party. Infuriated that she hadn’t turned Zevran in for attempted murder. That she had risked Leliana’s life, even though she had never been in danger in the first place. Their argument went in circles for over an hour. Finally Ilyriene told Alistair that he had put her in charge. Multiple times. And she made the decision. If he didn't like it, he could leave and she would just continue on without him.

Which made him angry again. She finally told him to leave. If he was going to question her over this when she had been nothing but supportive (even of his wish to not be king) of everything, then he should just go.

Leliana stepped in then, saying they all needed to just cool their tempers. And they would reconvene the next day. Zevran sighed. Rubbed a hand over his face. Ilyriene came stomping back into the room, her face this fascinating mix of anger and indignation. He just stayed where he was, watched her pace. She was wearing a pair of loose black yoga pants, a white and gray tank top, her hair braided and looped around her head a few times. She had a band around her arm that her phone was tucked into and her bare feet made no noise on the floor.

“Should I go?” Zevran offered quietly. She stopped pacing, put her hands on her hips.

“Don't you dare! They put me in charge. And I'm taking. Fucking. Charge.” Her blue-green eyes flashed fire. She was sexy in her anger, her chest heaving delightfully. He sighed.

“I don't want to make trouble for you.”

“You're not. Well not directly. We've just.. Let's just say our luck isn't always good.” She sat next to him, took his hand. “No turning back. You can't let me live without your own life being forfeit. And I'm not sending you out there to die. And whatever this is..” she sighed this time, “whatever it is deserves a chance.”

“Are you sure? What if they leave?” he asked.

She snorted. “They're not going anywhere. They need me as much as I need them. Besides, they love me too much to leave. And they'll accept you soon enough. If we can accept that blockhead Sten, we can accept you.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Truly? If they force your hand.. You should choose them.”

She snorted again. “I'm an elf. No one forces me to do anything. Now. Enough. I'm going to go run. Do you want to come?”

He chuckled. “Well now that you ask…” and he looked down her body. Blood rushed to her face.

“Really?” she laughed. And moved. She went and got her shoes. Sat on the floor to lace them up. “Go change and come with me. No joke. I love running. And you'll be safe with me,” she said with an eyebrow wiggle. He laughed. “I have no clothes to wear.” She gestured at a box by the door. He went over and opened it. Stacks of new folded clothes. All in his size. All sort of things, including underwear and socks. And several pairs of shoes sat next to the box. “When did you do all this?” he asked her, his face nearly unreadable.

“While you were sleeping. You can’t go home yet. And your car, as gorgeous as it is, can’t dress you. But I can. Apparently, being a Warden who has curried favor from an Arl gives me some monetary sway around here. And credit cards are good for something. Other than really sexy boots.”

“I.. no one is ever this nice to me. I don’t know what to say,” he said quietly.

She got up and went to kneel next to him. “‘Thank you’ is a decent start. Then you can take some of those, change, and come with me. And start living. I think.. I think you need some living.” She reached out, brushed his hair from his face. He caught her hand, kissed her palm.

“Thank you, white haired angel.”

 

**A Couple Hours Later -**

 

We walked back up the stairs of the hotel after our run. We didn’t talk much, the silence companionable rather than charged. We had talked about life. Life before the Blight. Before I lost Tamlen, before he was sent to Val Royeaux to kill me. He was funny, in a very self assured, self deprecating way. And his hands. He always talked with his hands. Very distracting. As we neared the 10th floor, he grabbed my hand and kissed it.  
“Thank you again, white haired angel.” His voice was low and sexy and doing things to my insides again.  
“You’re welcome. Again. Can.. Can I have my hand back?” I asked. He shook his head. I sighed. He held my hand, fingers entwined with mine, all the way back to the room, where he used the keycard to open the door for me. Once we were inside, I toed off my shoes and began to stretch. He stood by the door, crossed his arms over his chest and watched. I looked at him over my shoulder. “Is there something you need?” I asked, my voice a bit more breathy than I had intended. He just shook his head.  
“How do you move like that?” his voice caught when he asked. I was currently bending down and had my palms flat against the floor, my legs spread apart about a foot and a half. I stood back up and walked towards him. “Why? Do you like how I move?” I stood right in front of him, my hands behind my back. I looked up, and tilted my head.

“I think I really do.” His voice was getting husky. I grinned up at him.

“Well I need a shower.” I turned around and on my way to the bathroom, I stripped off my shirt and sports bra at the same time, dropping it on the floor behind me. I reached up and unclipped my hair, letting the pair of braids fall down my back. I turned and gave him.. A look. “Are you coming?” I asked quietly. He took off his shoes, and followed me into the bathroom. Once in there I helped him take off his shirt, and he lifted me wordlessly onto the counter. My face even with his, I brushed the damp hair behind his ear. Then I pulled his face to mine, kissed him softly. Then the kiss took a turn, mouths opening, tongues meeting. My stomach grew hot, and all I wanted was for him to touch me. As if he heard my thoughts, his hands slid up my sides, and around my back, pulling me against his chest. His hand tugged my braids, pulling my mouth from his. His lips moved down my jaw, my neck, licking and nipping. Goosebumps raced across my skin. I pushed him away, hopping down off the counter. I moved to the large glass doored shower, and turned the hot water on. Then I finished stripping out of my clothes, and stepped into the water. I closed my eyes and waited. Didn’t have to wait long before he was stepping in with me, closing the door behind him. I turned away, letting the water sluice over me. He pulled me against his chest, his hands wrapping around my stomach, his mouth against my ear.

“You are so tiny,” he said with a chuckle, his breath tickling my ear. I shook my head.

“I’m ‘vertically challenged’. Get it right.” He laughed. Then he moved his hands, sliding them up, each cupping a breast. Fingers squeezing, pulling, kneading, spreading heat through me. Then his left hand slid down my body, between my legs, cupping my core. He rubbed a finger along my slit, parting me. His finger dipped low, inside me, then back up to make lazy loose circles around my clit. I sighed, my head resting against his shoulder. He started this rhythm, back and forth, between that little bundle of nerves, and sliding inside me. Again.. And again. His other hand moved up my neck and brought my face to his, and he kissed me, his tongue teasing mine. My hand joined his between my legs, and my hips started to move with his hand. His lips left mine, and he smiled down at me.  
“The Angel enjoys this, yes?”

I nodded, then shook my head.  
“Too close, come with me,” I whispered. He took a breath and I moved his hand away, turning to face him. I knelt before he could do anything else, and grasped his cock in my hand. Water spilled down his chest, trickling through the fine smattering of hair that led to his groin. I stroked him once, then twice. Took the head in my mouth, feeling him tremble in my hand. I sucked him deep into my mouth, following my hand that still gripped him tight. His hand slapped against the wall as I started to move, bobbing my mouth on his cock, long and slow, back.. And forth. After a minute or so, he was visibly shaking, his stomach tense. He pulled me from him and with a small pout I stood back up. He leaned down, wrapped my arms around his shoulders, and put his hands on my ass. “Hold onto me, Angel.”

He lifted me off the floor, against his chest, wrapping my legs around his hips. He pressed me back against the wall, and guided his cock to my entrance. I kissed him, feather light kisses, sucking his bottom lip into my mouth. He groaned as he slid his cock inside me. He whispered, “I will never understand how you do this to me.” I smiled.

I pulled his head close, pressed my mouth to his ear, “The feeling is very mutual.” I took his earlobe in between my teeth, just barely scraping them along it. He shuddered in my arms, as he began to thrust his hips. Every time his pelvis brushed mine, I gave this little sound I couldn’t even try to stop. My eyes closed, my head leaning against the wall, as he thrust again and again. He pressed his face to my neck, his hands gripping my butt tightly, grinding his pelvis to mine.

I gripped his shoulders, strained to breathe. We pressed close, bodies undulating under the spray of the hot water, friction and need almost overwhelming. I gasped when he finally took me over, my orgasm slamming through me. Heat, throbbing and pulsing, muscles clenching and gripping his cock as he still moved within me. He groaned his own release not moments later, pressing his hips hard into mine, throbbing hot and hard deep inside. We stood there, locked together against the wall, the water continuing to fall around us. I chuckled.  
“We’re doing this all backwards you know,” I teased quietly. He raised a blonde eyebrow. I brushed his wet hair from his forehead. “Typically people date some first before dirty shower sex.”  
“Angel, nothing we just did was even remotely dirty. But alas, you are right.” He nuzzled my neck, before sliding me to the floor. He held me up while my legs readjusted to holding me up. He smiled down at me, his hair falling over his face again, dripping on mine. He moved away and grabbed my body wash, and the bright green loofah, proceeded to start washing me. His hands rubbing over my body, intimate and personal, made my skin tingle. I tried to not react.. But his hands were literally everywhere. When he was done, he rinsed out the loofah, but before he could put it back, I took it and returned the favor. Rubbing the soap over his arms, shoulders, his back, his chest, over his butt, and when I looked back at his face, he was bright red.  
“Zevran! Are.. are you blushing!?”

“I do not know to what you refer,” he grumbled. I skipped his still semi-hard cock, and moved down his legs, kneeling in front of him again. I looked up at him, smiled innocently. Then I proceeded to wash his cock, gentle and thorough. And by the time I was done, semi-hard was no longer a thing. When I stood back up he pressed me to the wall. “You are a minx. Are you always like this?” His voice was low and sexy.  
“Actually.. No. You bring it out in me. Not that I am complaining,” and I wrapped my hand around him, watching his pupils dilate, “and from the feel,” and I stroked him once, “of things, neither are you.” By the time I was done speaking, my voice had fallen to a whisper. His hands were pressed against the wall on either side of my shoulders, his forehead against mine.  
“What am I doing?” he asked quietly. I put my free hand on his cheek, “Being free. Gloriously free, Zevran. Enjoy it.” I gave in to the impulse, and put my arms around him, hugging him close. He seemed shocked for a moment, then wrapped his arms around me, drawing me up against him. He pressed his face into my neck and just stood there, being held. I took a breath and pulled away, gave him another brilliant smile before moving away. I unfastened my now soaked braids, and after combing my fingers through my hair, I grabbed my shampoo. After I lathered, rinsed and conditioned it, I offered him the bottle of men’s shampoo I had gotten him. It smelled like spiced sandalwood with a hint of ocean and had reminded me of him. We switched places under the water and as he washed his hair, I stepped out of the shower, grabbing my giant fluffy teal towel, then wrapping a matching one around my long hair.  
A few minutes later the water turned off and he exited as well. I stood there watching him wrap a towel around his waist and use a second to hand dry his hair.

“Do you want to go on a date?” he asked out of nowhere.  
“I don’t want to force you to, Zev.”

“Not what I asked. This is all new to me. Real relationship stuff. Before it was all… jobs and momentary things. And I know this is still just in the ‘whatever’ stage. But.. I might need some pointers. Instructions. If you want.” He sounded embarrassed. I walked over to him, put my hands on his chest.

“New to both of us. Let’s just go simple. Dinner or a movie. We only have today and tomorrow here, then I have to get back to Ferelden.” He looked surprised.  
“You’re leaving?”  
“Yes. And my offer stands. Come with me. Us. Come with us. Please?”

“I.. wasn’t sure if you were serious. But you are, aren’t you?”  
I nodded.

“Then I will go with you. If you’ll have me.” His voice was quiet. I smiled brightly again, pushing up on my toes to kiss him quickly. Then I left the room to go find clothes. From the bedroom, I called out, “There’s a movie called ‘Fast and Furious’’ that is playing at that little theater down the street. Have you seen it?”

He walked into the room, his eyebrows furrowed. “Ah, no. I haven’t seen a movie in a couple years.”  
I sighed. “Then we’re going to the movie. Because I haven’t been to one in a while too and this one looks fun. You game?” I pulled out a pair of black skinny jeans, knee high grey boots, a dark purple angle cut loose tank top, a teal one to go under it. A black lace bra and matching boy short panties, and my gray leather jacket. I took them all to the bed, dropped my towel and started to dress. He leaned against the door frame, and just watched me.  
As I dressed, I explained what I knew about the movie, and he seemed genuinely interested. When I had my bra and underwear and pants on, I went to the box of his clothes, and picked out a pair of black jeans, a black t-shirt, a pair of the boxer briefs, socks and the really nice low black leather boots. I walked back over and handed them to him.  
“You can’t go with me naked, as much as I enjoy you so.” I smiled at him again and went back to dressing. I could hear him chuckle behind me and the rustle of his clothes as he got dressed.  
“You got the sizes perfect.” His voice was full of.. Wonder? I laughed.  
“I looked in the ones you had discarded on the floor.”

“Ah. Well that would do it,” he said with a grimace, then he chuckled again. Once clothed, I went back into the bathroom barefoot, and did all my girl stuff. Lotion that smelled like orchids, combing my already curling hair. He came in behind me, and snagged the comb sitting there. I went about brushing my teeth, and we watched each other in the mirror.  
“This is very odd, you know,” he said after a few minutes of comfortable silence. I rinsed my mouth and smiled at him. “No more weird than me sticking my hand into your underwear the first night we met,” I reminded him with a smirk.  
He raised an eyebrow, “Touche.”

I went back to the bedroom and sat on the bed to put my boots on, slipping a dagger into each one and one to my left wrist. He came out a few minutes later, put his own boots on. Once we were ready, we headed out, my hand in his arm, me kind of scooting him along to delay any further protests. We walked to the theater, and I paid for the tickets. We got popcorn, some drinks and even some candy. Reese’s peanut butter mini-cups for me, and some peanut M&M’s for him. Once we were seated at the back of the dark theater, I pushed up the armrest and cuddled up next to him.  
“Is this the way it is done now?” he asked, amusement in his voice. I shrugged. “If it’s not, it should be. What better way to watch a movie than with a snuggle buddy and popcorn?” I punctuated my words by putting a piece into his mouth. We made silly small talk until the lights dimmed, and we settled to watch the movie. Just over 2 hours later, when the lights came back on, he started babbling. About the movie, and the story, the actors, how fantastic the cars and action scenes were and on and on. I let him, seemed the thing to do. And his voice, melodic and sexy with that accent? Who wouldn’t want to let him talk?!  
Zevran talked all the way back to the hotel. And he talked while we ordered food from the hotel restaurant to be sent up to the room. When we got to the room, I let him continue talking while I changed into yoga pants and a sports bra, and I finally got his attention.  
“Have I been talking this whole time?” he asked, surprise etched on his handsome face. I nodded. “Why did you let me!?”

“For a few reasons.” I walked over to him, removed his jacket. “First being, listening to you is never boring. Your voice and your accent are.. Delicious. Second, you needed to talk. So I let you talk. Third, and the most important, it made you happy, and thus makes me happy. It’s a conundrum I know.” I shrugged and went to my bag, got out my phone. I had ignored it all day. On purpose. After the arguments this morning, I had no want to hash the out over text.  
And surprisingly enough, I had only 2 new messages. One from Leliana, saying everything was fine. And one from Alistair apologizing. I sighed.  
Texted each back, Leliana thanking her for intervening that morning. And to Alistair thanking him too, and promising we would talk tomorrow. I messaged Wynne and let her know we would be heading back tomorrow night. Then I plugged it in and left it. A few minutes later, our food arrived, and we sat at the table to eat. When we finished, we put the dishes outside the door. I put on some music from my iPod, and started stretching and doing some mild yoga. I had just eaten, so I wasn’t going all out, but I needed to. A few days of nothing but strenuous sexual activity was making me restless.  
I closed my eyes and concentrated, letting the music kind of flow over me. Once my muscles felt nice and loose, I started to do my combat stretches. Long swift movements, well as long as my short self can make. I worked up a sweat, and after a while, my music turned off. I stopped, moving, my chest heaving. Found Zevran sitting on the bed, a magazine in his lap completely forgotten as he stared at me. I gave him a look. He dramatically put his hand over his heart and flopped back onto the bed. I just laughed.

I went into the bathroom to brush and braid my hair, and called out to him, “Tomorrow before we leave the city, we can go get you a new phone and anything else you’ll need. Are you bringing your car or storing it?”

He showed up at the door. “Can I bring it? Anything that’s actually mine is in it. My apartment belonged to the Crows.”

I nodded. “Of course you can. We’ll figure it out. Are you sure? Ready even? Ferelden is a dangerous place at the moment.” I turned and watched him as I finished braiding my hair. As I fastened it, he nodded.

“I’m, out. Well, in. Both? I am at your service, my lady,” he said with an embarrassed flourish. I laughed.  
“I am no one’s lady, I wasn’t even all that important in my clan. My father was the Keeper, not I. And you aren’t serving me. In any capacity. Because.. That’s creepy. But you can serve with me. And help stop Loghain.”

“Ah. Well then. I serve with you, Angel. For as long as needed. Or longer. If one prefers.” I smiled at him, and then I promptly yawned. I brushed past him and went back to the bedroom. I stripped down and climbed into the giant fluffy bed. A few minutes later, he turned out all the lights and joined me. When I curled up against his side, he heaved a sigh.  
“Want me to move?” I asked quietly. His arm tightened around me.  
“No. This is.. This is very nice. That is all.”  
I smiled into the dark. “It is, isn’t it?” I put my hand on his chest and fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat.

 

The next day we went and got him a new phone, did a quick tune up on his car and finished packing. Alistair and Leliana came back and made nice with me and even tried to get friendly with Zevran. It was a work in progress, but progress nonetheless. Then, Alistair, Leliana and Morrigan got into his rented SUV, and I rode with Zevran and we took off back to Redcliffe. Eamon should be well on the way to better, and I had some elves to talk to.

 

**Over the next few weeks, they made their way back to Redcliffe, where Arl Eamon was getting things underway for the Landsmeet. Ilyriene took Zevran, Wynne and Morrigan to the Brecilian forest to find the other Dalish elf clan that had been camped there. They found the camp in total disarray. Elves lying on cots dead and dying, more wounded and the entire camp on edge. The clan keeper informed Ilyriene that there was no way his clan could help the Wardens, treaty or no, until the werewolf curse had been lifted from his people. And of course, Ily, in her tenacity, offered to fix their problem. And so the 4 of them geared up and hiked off into the forest.**

**Where they met not only werewolves that could suddenly talk, but darkspawn, demons, giant bears, and, of all things, a talking tree. They battled their way through ancient magical trees. And when they got to the heart of the forest, and met the spirit of Witherfang, Ily worried that they were in fact sent on a fool’s mission. She talked with the Lady of the Forest, and agreed to go to Zathrian and bring him back to talk. They found Zathrian near the entrance to the ruins they were in. And after much arguing led him deeper into the ruins.** **  
** **More arguing, and accusations. A fight with Zathrian, him capitulating and removing the curse he himself had put onto the humans/werewolves. The Lady of the Forest disappeared back into the Fade, and the wolves were transformed back into humans. After centuries of life in the wild, they were going to make their way back into civilization.** **  
** **After they hiked back to the Dalish camp, and the new keeper pledged their help to Ily, they left the forest with no little speed. They drove back to Redcliffe and decided to rest for a few days before heading out again.** **  
** **  
** I sat on the roof, staring out over the keep. This building was hundreds of years old, full of history and ghosts. Alistair and Leliana were ensconced in their room, canoodling in private. Wynne was off with Eamon and his son, making sure Connor was still okay. Sten was off training with the Arl’s men and Morrigan was hiding in the library. She loved the book collection Eamon had, and had kind of claimed a corner.

I was playing with one of my daggers, flipping it between my fingers absent mindedly. I heard a sound behind me, and before I could think about it, had the dagger between my forefinger and thumb and poised to throw. But there stood Zevran, his hair loose around his face, hands in his pockets. “I didn’t mean to startle you. Leliana pointed the way. Should I come back?” he offered. I shook my head and patted the roof next to me. He came over and sat down with his legs over the edge of the roof.  
I spoke first. “You know, I wasn’t raised in a city. Or even a town. Nomads, we lived in tents and RV’s. For the most part I didn’t mind it. It was just.. The way we lived. I had been part of a group of our clan who wanted to integrate more with the humans and main society. My father.. He was the last keeper. And he had been trying to do the same, although I didn’t learn that until I was dying and had to leave to join the Wardens.” I took a breath.  
“In the last 4 months, I have met more humans than in my entire life. I have killed more of them, and darkspawn than I ever ever could have imagined. I’ve met elves who are basically homeless living in the slums of Denerim, a Qunari who I still haven’t figured out yet. Dwarves, so many dwarves! And I can’t stand to be inside with any of them for long periods of time. I feel like.. I dunno. It’s hard to explain.”

“I think I understand. I didn’t have an actual apartment until the last 8 or so months. Before that, I was always on the move. Sometimes even sleeping in my car. Sleeping surrounded by people is a very daunting feeling. Especially when they are all unknown’s.”  
I nodded. He did get it. I brushed the hair from my face, heaved a sigh. “Is everyone treating you ok?” I asked quietly.

“Surprisingly, yes. I had expected, I don't know, more animosity? But so far, aside from the side glances from Alistair from time to time, everyone has at least been civil. Even your dog seems to like me.” He gave a wry shrug. Fen.. Well he was a shock for most people. Mostly because I was a small elf, and he was ¾ my size. And he wore a tactical vest. Because who doesn't want a bad-ass Mabari war hound looking like the killer beast he was? The fact that he was a gooey pile of dog meat for me was totally not the point. In fact, right now, he was down below us training in the yard with some of Eamon’s braver and bigger men.

“Your dog is not the average dog, is he?” Zev asked, breaking into my thoughts. I nodded.

“I rescued him back at Ostagar and he found me after the battle. I have no idea how he survived, and I really don't want to know. But he found me. Deliberately. And he's kind of like a glue for the group. Wynne likes to mother-hen him. He and Sten have dominance contests. He tortures Morrigan but she secretly likes it. He and Alistair have deep meaningful discussions about food. And Leliana sings to him. Ah, him and Sandal have a thing. A weird bond that's difficult to explain.”

“You don't see it, do you?” he asked me, wonder fairly evident on his face. I raised my eyebrow.

“Your dog isn't the glue, Angel. You are.”

I laughed.

“No, I'm not. I'm just a Dalish elf who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

He shook his head.

“You are. I promise. I've been watching you all for weeks. We assassin's are good at observing,” he teased, “and they all defer to you. Even the Arl. And the boy. The one you saved? He's got little hearts in his eyes for you. You, Ily, are the glue. Whether you believe it or not.” His voice had this.. Confidence in it. Unwavering. I felt heat spread through me. I looked down at my hands.

“I can't be the glue. I don't even know if I'll make it out the other side of this fiasco. There's so much we still don't know. And we still have to go to Orzammar. And I still have to make a trip to Denerim. And damn I'm tired.” I leaned over and used his shoulder as a pillow.

“I think I need a nap,” he said, forcing a yawn. I laughed. “A nap?” I asked with a smirk.

“A nap, my lady Warden. And if you ask nicely, I might even let you cuddle with me,” he offered. He stood up, brushed off his jeans. Held out a hand. I grasped it and he pulled me to my feet. Offered me his arm, which I took with a laugh, and he led us back through the keep to our room. He locked the door, pulled the heavy curtains closed while I unzipped my boots and dropped them on the floor. He toed off his own boots and laid down on top of the blankets. I crawled into the bed next to him and he pulled me close. Almost as soon as my head rested on his shoulder, did I fall asleep.

 

**_The air was a sickly green_ **

**_Screeching sounds filled the silence_ **

**_Chanting_ **

**_A roar_ **

**_A dragon… That's not a dragon_ **

**_Talons_ **

**_Teeth_ **

**_The stench of death_ **

**_So much death_ **

**_Faces_ **

**_Of those I love_ **

**_Leliana_ **

**_Fen, ah my beloved Fen_ **

**_Wynne_ **

**_Alistair_ **

**_Zevran, his hand clutching a lock of white hair, his face a frozen mask of horror_ **

 

I bolted upright on the bed, rolling off of it in my haste to retreat from whatever the hell kind of dream it was. I landed on my heels, my chest heaving, and I'm sure I looked like a raving lunatic. Zev sat up on the bed, his eyes wide, hands out as if to placate a raging dog.

I fell back onto the floor. Scooted back against the wall, pulled my knees up and buried my face in my arms. I could feel the tears streaking down my face.

And yet.. Silence. I heard him quietly climb off the bed, and sit next to me.

He put his arm around me and I barely resisted when he pulled me close. “What was that?” he asked me quietly.

“As a Grey Warden, I,” and I swallowed, “I have a connection to the Darkspawn. You can't.. You can't discuss this outside this room, Zev. I'm not supposed to tell anyone.”

He sighed. “Then why did you tell me?”

I looked up at him, “Because you matter.”

“Ah, Angel, you're not falling for me, are you?” he teased. I scowled and elbowed him. He laughed. “Feeling better?” I nodded. But didn't move.

“Do these, ah, dreams happen often?”

I nod again.

“More often this last week or so.”

“How did I not notice?” he asked.

“Because I took great pains to make that so. But this one was personal and it hurt. A great deal.” I rubbed a hand over my face, and heard my phone buzzing from the dresser. I got up to get it, and saw a text from Alistair.

**All-Star** **: You ok?**

I sighed.

**Me** **: I'm fine. How did you know?**

Bzzzz

**All-Star** **: I felt it. Need anything?**

**Me** **: No… Zev is here. I'm good. Go cuddle Leli or something.**

**All-Star** **: Does he know?**

**Me** **: … Do you want honest?**

**All-Star** **: So that's a yes. Leli does. I almost punched her the other night. I felt like such a shit. I'm glad you're not alone. Be safe, Ghost.**

I smiled.

**Me** **: You too, All-Star. Smewchies.**

I put the phone back and went into the bathroom. My eyes were a little wild still. The blue-green a little bright. Zevran came in after me and wrapped his arms around me and stared at me in the mirror. “You really alright?”

“I am. Helped talking about it. Well as much as I did. You don't want particulars.” I reached up and ran my fingers down his face, tracing the tattoo there. “Thank you,” I smiled.

“Let's go dancing,” he blurted. We both looked surprised.

“What?”

“I just mean.. Well Arl Eamon has a small ballroom. It is currently unused. And you like to dance. And I like watching you dance. And you have your iPod. Let's dance,” he looked away when he said it. Like it was a bad idea. Or he was unsure of how I’d react. I turned around in his arms, wrapped my own around him and hugged him.

“Dancing is an amazing idea! We can count it as our second date.”

“Ah, but is dancing enough for a date? What about dinner? We can't leave but maybe, I don't know, a picnic or something?”

I could feel the smile threatening to break my face, so I hid it against his chest. “A picnic sounds beautiful.”

“Alright then! You change and I'll be back in a bit.” He kissed my head and after grabbing his boots, left the room. I just shake my head.

Dancing. Ah it had been months since I had danced. Really danced.

Bzzzzzz

I went and grabbed my phone again, laughed when I read.

**R.A.Z.** **: Wear that frothy purple dress thing. Your legs are magnificent in that. Well they're magnificent anywhere, especially wrapped around me. I mean. Yes the dress. Please? <3**

**Me** **: but.. I wanted to dance naked. Isn't that an option?**

I set the phone down and went to the closet and grabbed the dress he was talking about. It was a plum purple, tight six strapped bodice with a frothy tulle flared skirt, higher hem over the right thigh, much longer in the back. Kind of multi layered. I laid it on the bed, grabbed a pair of black strappy heels and tossed them with the dress.

Bzzzzzzz

**R.A.Z.** **: I dropped my phone. Eamon’s boy laughed at me. You may just kill me yet.**

I laughed.

**Me** **: Should I apologize?**

**R.A.Z.** **: No. You really shouldn't.. Eamon gave me the key to the ballroom, told me to lock up while we are “up to our young people shenanigans”. And the chef is preparing a picnic. And Isolde have me a blanket and instructions on the sound system. We are set, Angel.**

**Me** **: I look forward to it. Give me 20 minutes.**

**R.A.Z.** **: I await with baited breath.**

I laughed again then set about getting ready. I even did my makeup. Just for him. Sprayed a bit of orchid body spray and checked myself in the mirror. My white hair was all swept to the left side of my head in a loose braid, my eyes shaded purple and black, a riot of earrings hanging from my pointed ears. My dagger was strapped to my thigh again. I shrugged, retrieved my iPod and went to open the door.

Zevran was leaning against the wall across from the door. His eyes grew huge when he saw me.

“Your beauty slays me, Angel,” he practically purred the words. He gave this exaggerated bow, held out his hand and gave another low purring sound when I took his hand. Somehow he had found a pair of black dress pants, a dark gray button down shirt, combed his gorgeous hair and  donned a pair of shiny black shoes.

“You certainly clean up very nicely, Zev.”

He grinned at me as he led me through the keep. Once we reached the double doors leading into the ballroom, he presented an ornate key, and unlocked the door. He led me into the dark room. There in the center, was an elaborate picnic set up on the floor, blankets and all. We sat and ate, talked about life “before”, avoiding the grisly details. I told him about Tamlen, our many adventures. He talked about the nightlife in Antiva, some of his less dangerous jobs. We laughed, and fed each other. Enjoyed some chocolate and strawberries for dessert. Some really fabulously fruity wine. When we finished eating, he took my iPod and plugged it into the sound system, moved the blanket with the food out of the way.

“May I have this dance?” he asked as the opening beats for “Love, Sex and Magic” started to tumble out of the speakers. He swung me into his arms, and just out need to move, we started swaying. Hip to hip, his hand on my back, hot and close. We swayed, and turned, bodies absorbing the music. When the song faded and switched over to “Make Love” by Keri Hilson, his eyes fell to mine, as he pulled me even closer.

My heart started this low deep beat, in time with our bodies. Pressed as close as we were, pelvis to pelvis, and I could feel myself blushing from my chest to my hair.   
“I don’t even know where this song came from,” I muttered.

He grinned, “It’s not my usual thing, but, I have to say the subject matter is.. Inarguably something we are good at.”

I blushed harder. He twirled us on the floor, his hands on my hips, guiding me as I tried to ignore the very pointed lyrics. I closed my eyes and let him lead us around the room.

_Tonight we're gonna do something different,_ _  
_ _Tonight we're gonna touch a little different._

Oh, boy. Eventually, thank the Creators, the song moved on. To “Just Dance” .. of all things. Who made this list?! Zevran started hopping around, dancing like a teenage girl. All I could do was stand there and laugh. He eventually shook his head and went to the iPod.

Skip

_  
_ _No Air - Jordin Sparks, Chris Brown_

“I think your iPod is broken, Angel,” he said with a chuckle.

Skip

_Big Girls Don’t Cry - Fergie_

Skip

“I think Leliana played with my songs list again,” I said with a shrug.

_Umbrella  - Rhianna with JayZ_

“Now this is a song I can agree with. It's like you.. And me,” and he walked back across the room, twirled me back into his arms. And we danced. We danced until the music ran out, until all there was was us, racing hearts, heat and need. I pulled away, went and started to clean up our mess. He followed suit and before long the basket and blanket were stacked by the door. Then he grabbed my iPod and my hand and led me quickly from the room. We rushed through very quiet keep, and when we reached our room, he pushed me through the door and locked it behind him. He dropped the iPod on the dresser and picked me up, taking me to the bed. He laid me down, and settled himself on top of me.

“You're a very excellent dancer, Angel. Your body moves so naturally. And it drove me insane all, damn, night,” he said, his voice rough, eyes on mine.

I smiled up at him, ran my hands up his sides, “You're not so bad yourself. Graceful and smooth, so sexy. I wanted you to take me. Right there in the ballroom,” I whispered that last bit.

His pupils dilated, and his mouth crushed mine. Wild and hot, the kiss shook me to my core. My hands gripped his shirt, and his hands squeezed the bed next to my head. I pulled his shirt free from his pants, and slid my hands up his back. He wedged a leg between mine, his already significant arousal hot against my hip. I bit his bottom lip, drawing a strangled sound from him. He shifted his arms, his hands moving to the hem of my dress, inching it up. He chuckled when he found my garter. He pulled it up higher, his hands gripping my hips, then my butt, giving it a gentle squeeze.

I toed off my shoes, running a foot up the back of his leg. He sighed against my lips, rocking his hips against mine. Then he looked at me. “Are you really wearing no panties again?”

I blush. “Probably. Because I didn't know where the dancing would lead. And your shock every time make a it worth it.”

He heaved a dramatic sigh. Then he sat up, kneeling on the bed. He pulled his shirt off over his head. I sat up too, my hands moving to the belt at his waist. I unfastened it and he got off the bed to remove them. I crawled across the bed, turned my back and asked him to unzip my dress. He hummed appreciatively as he did, his fingers following the open fabric. His hands slid inside, around my body, hot and needy. I pulled away, and shrugged out of the dress. Naked beneath. His eyes nearly crossed when he saw I had nothing under the whole of it. I slipped it off and tossed it to the floor.

“I'm very very glad I didn't know about this in the ballroom. I had my thigh against you.. and you never said a word.” He took a shaky breath. I smiled at him and reached out, wrapping my fingers around his cock. I stroked him.. Once.. Twice. His hand covered mine, helping my hand.

“Mmm, you seem to enjoy this,” I murmured, pressing a kiss to his chest. I leaned down, licking his left nipple, gripping it with my lips. It hardened against my tongue, and goosebumps erupted across his chest.  moved to the right, lavished the same attention there, tongue pressing close. His hips were thrusting, dragging his cock from my hand, then deeper into it. He did it once more, then took my hand in his and raised it to his mouth. Pressing a kiss to my palm, he bids me lay down. I do and he pulls me to the edge of the bed, and kneels on the floor between my legs. He made an appreciative humming sound, before placing soft kisses on my inner thighs, taking little nips on that sensitive skin, licking to soothe the sting. He took his time, working his way up my thighs, making my skin tingle with anticipation.

Finally… He touched me. Barely there touches, his tongue swiping at my lower lips, enough to tease me. Anticipation is an awful thing when your whole body is on fire. I made a sound, strangled in my throat, drawing a chuckle from him. Then his fingers parted me, slick against my growing arousal. I moaned when he finally pressed his tongue, sliding it inside me, then up to wrap around my clit. I twitched on the bed, so eager for anything he would give me. And he didn’t disappoint. His fingers slid inside me as his tongue twirled around that bundle of nerves. I bucked against him, as his fingers pressed deep. His hand and mouth worked me like a fine tuned instrument, a finger thrust here, a lick there. Sucking my clit into his mouth, rubbing his tongue around it.

I spread my fingers through his hair, not sure if I was trying to push him away, or keep him close. He hummed again, the sound reverberating through me. My hips bucked, my stomach clenching as he relentlessly drove me higher.

“Zev.. please, please..” I begged.

His free hand reached up and took mine from his head, twined his fingers with mine. I gripped his hand, and felt myself fall apart. My back arched, and a strangled cry burst from my chest. Throbbing and pulsing, my muscles gripping his fingers. His tongue lapped at me, making me twitch against his face. He chuckled, pulling his hand free, licking his fingers clean. He placed a few gentle kisses on my still trembling thighs, murmuring soft words I couldn’t understand. He stood up, crawled onto the bed next to me, laying down on his back, a hand under his head. I gave a short laugh and rolled onto my stomach. I crawled up the bed myself, moving to straddle his legs.   
“Oh.. look. My own joystick,” I said with a smirk, wrapping my fingers around his cock. His eyes closed as I started to slowly stroke him. I leaned down, placed a gentle kiss on the tip. Wrap my tongue around him, making him shake beneath me. I sucked him between my lips, drawing him deep into my mouth, rubbing my tongue along the underside of his shaft. His hand fisted over his stomach, muscles quivering as I started to bob my head.. My fingers still gripping him, following my lips.   
My other hand touched his leg, his thigh, his inner thigh, following the muscle twitches. I ever so lightly scraped my fingers along the underside of his sac, smiling around his cock as he gasped. I pulled my mouth free, running my lips down the side of his cock. Then a long lick back up, his entire body trembling as I did.

“Ah, Angel, please,” he whispered. I crawled up his body, my hand grasping his chin, my mouth claiming his. His hands gripped my hips, and I rubbed my core against his cock, moaning into his mouth as the friction spread heat throughout me. He reached between us, guiding his cock, and with a swift thrust of his hips, he buried himself inside me. I sat up, my ass on his upper thighs, my hands splayed on his stomach. My hair fell around us, a cloud of white curls. I shifted my hips, forward then back. His eyes closed, his hands on my thighs. And I moved, setting a simple pace that drove us both. Hearts hammering. Ears ringing. Fingers grasping, bodies trembling. His hands moved, grazing my sides. Goosebumps raced across my skin, my nipples hardening as his hands moved higher. Hot and greedy, grasping and pulling, making me moan.

I moved my hips faster, feeling his stomach clench beneath my hands. My own orgasm so near, I watched his face, knew his was coming soon. I moved my hands, pulling my hair behind my neck. I moved my hips faster, feeling his cock deep within me, the friction between his pelvis and my core driving me mad. “Angel, you slay me,” he said, his voice low and husky. His accent made the words sound far more sinful than they should have. I started to tremble, so close, “Come for me,” he whispered, feeling my body start to throb on his cock. I shifted my hips.. Pulled him deep.. Once.. twice more.. Before I cried out, leaning forward again. My body claimed his orgasm as he followed soon after. Him throbbing deep inside me, my muscles pulsing and clenching on him. His fingers dug into my hips, and after a moment or two, I pressed my forehead to his chest, still mostly unable to breathe. His hands ran up my sides, pulling me down onto him. I sighed as I relaxed on top of him, my ear pressed to his heart.

“I keep expecting this to get less… interesting,” he said quietly.   
“Oh? Why is that?”

“Because I have never really had much of a relationship with anyone outside the Crows. And part of me thinks it cannot last.”  
I sighed. “I wouldn’t keep coming back if this was nothing, Zevran. You have value here. Now more than ever.”   
“And what’s to keep you from changing your mind?”

“For one, I said I wouldn’t, and I try my hardest to never lie about stuff like that. For two?” I lifted my head, put my chin on my fist, “For two.. I’ve never quite felt this way before. And I want to explore it. And you. If you’ll let me.”  
“Haven’t you explored me enough?” he asked me with a grin.   
“Ah, no. Never enough,” I said with an innocent smile back.

“Hah! You are about as innocent as.. I don’t have a nice comparison. But stop that. Innocent my ass,” he muttered. I laughed and he playfully pushed me off of him onto the bed.

“Do you laugh at me, Angel?” he asked, mock ire coating his words.  
“Oh never, my reluctant assassin.. I would never laugh at you,” I said, batting my eyelashes at him. He squinted. Before I knew it, I was pinned on my back on the bed, his left hand holding both of mine above my head. His right laid a trail down my face.. My neck.. My underarm, my ribs. Goosebumps scattered across my skin. I looked up at him.

“Don’t you dare,” I started to say, before his fingers started to dance over my ribs. I bit my lips, trying not to laugh, but when his face attacked my neck, and he released my hands to have two hands to tickle me with.. I was lost. Lost to giggles and trying to escape him.   
And so we laughed, and played, and eventually he kissed me, his hands gentle on my face.   
“I think you saved me from more than you realize, Ilyriene, and I want to thank you,” he said, his face close to mine.   
“You are most welcome, my beautiful reluctant assassin.”   
And he kissed me again, then made love to me once more, slow and sweet, passion building and bodies loving.. And when I finally fell asleep an hour or two later, it was wrapped in his arms, his breath in my hair, his heart under my hand.

And my heart in his.

 


	3. Love Me Not..

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Warden and her allies make a foray into the Deep Roads, crown a king, take a road trip, meet an old friend-adversary, and someone goes to jail.  
> Feelings are almost revealed, arguments happen and sexy times abound.

**Three Weeks Later -**

 

I finished packing my bag. I looked around our “camp” and sighed. All I could think of was getting out of the deep roads. 2 and a half weeks down here. To settle some stupid petty squabble the city hierarchy was having. We had systematically quashed everything thrown at us. Oghren was a .. Surprising addition to my companions. Bit of a perv, and somehow the man always managed to have alcohol on him. I'll never understand it. I shook my head and looked over at Zevran. He was asleep on the ground, surprisingly resilient in all of this ridiculousness.

I had come to Orzammar to use the Grey Warden treaties. Which had turned into “Do these 400 tasks to make me king and I'll give you your army”, which turned into “Hey there's this smuggling cartel you need to take care of” and “Oh, one of our illustrious paragons took off into the deep roads looking for some mythical anvil, you should find her to endorse my kinghood so I can give you soldiers to help with your crazy battle”.

And so we had traipsed around the smuggling tunnels and pretty much wiped out the cartel, then we ventured into the deep roads and found a frigging ton of Darkspawn, amongst other fun things. Like a million deepstalkers. Imagine dog sized velociraptors. Oh, and then we found ghosts. And golems. Ah yes the golems. Those were so very fun. Especially when they sucker punched you across a room. Then we had met another ancient Paragon.. Who was stuck in the body of a Golem himself. The whole thing turned into a massive fucked up situation. We found the Paragon we had gone looking for, but she had gone insanely coocoo down there. And she attacked me when I refused to give her the anvil.

We were heading back to Orzammar in a few hours, and everyone was taking a much needed rest before hand. Most of our path back would be uneventful, as we had fairly thoroughly cleaned out the tunnels. And, thanks to modern technology, we had a detailed map of how we would go back.

I stretched and paced a bit. Listening to Oghren and Wynne discuss ale of some sort, and Zevran napping. But I was restless. I couldn’t really get past what I had seen down here. The Archdemon and his massive horde of darkspawn. Sleep was very fleeting down here, and usually only when aided by Wynne or alcohol. My skin felt like it was crawling constantly. And there was this constant itch at the back of my skull, this ever broadening awareness. I really wished I could talk to Alistair about it. But we had zero cell signal, and the radio’s we had brought with us were still too far out of range. He and Leliana and Morrigan had stayed in Orzammar. Hopefully things weren’t any worse when we get back.   
“Do you ever sleep?” I heard murmured from behind me. I turned and found Zevran laying there watching me. I shrugged and gave him a wry smile.   
“I do. But not down here. At least not well. Did I wake you?” I went and knelt next to him, and he took my hand.

“You look tired, Angel. Are you sure you will not rest with me?”

I shook my head. “I don’t think I could sleep. I’m far too tense.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me.  
“I have a cure for you, Angel!” he exclaimed, before sitting up. He put out his hand and shifted me to where I was sitting in between his legs. “Take off your tank top,” he said. I shrugged and removed it, leaving only the neon green yoga bra on. Then his hands were on my back, kneading and rubbing, his thumbs pressing and pulling.

Instant bliss. His hands were literal magic. He worked my neck, shoulders, down my entire back and my sides. I was moaning and my eyes were closed and this was damn near orgasmic. I could feel all those tight muscles loosening, and for the first time in days I didn’t feel brittle and sharp.

“Creators. You have the best hands that I’ve ever experienced, Zevran,” I muttered. He chuckled behind me. Then his mouth was at my ear. “If we were alone, I would take advantage of this relaxed state you find yourself in, Angel.” I shivered. Then I shot him a look over my shoulder, stood up, grabbing a blanket then his hand and pulling him to his own feet. “We are taking a walk,” I stated to Oghren and Wynne, then proceeded to grab his hand again and walked down one of the dead ended tunnels we had camped near. He laughed as I led him away from the camp.

“What are you going to do? Molest me in a tunnel? What about the creepy crawlies in here?” he teased. I snorted.   
“You and I both know that we’ve killed everything nearby. And this particular dead end was empty. You commented on the weirdly empty tunnel end.”   
“Ah, yes. I remember now. What are we going to do in this empty tunnel then, pray tell?”

I dropped the blanket to the ground and pressed Zev up against the wall. “I just realized, I forgot to tell you thank you for that amazing back rub.” He raised an eyebrow and waited to see what I was up to. I pulled his t-shirt from the waist of his cargo pants. I pulled his face down to mine, slowly kissing him. My tongue snuck between his lips, enticing his. His hands wrapped around me, drawing me up against his chest. It had been well over 2 weeks since we had even thought of intimacy. Well, I had thought about it constantly, between fights and sitting as the only one awake at night staring into the fire trying not to dream. But we never acted on it.   
He gave a little moan when I softly bit his bottom lip. “If this is your version of a thank you, I shall have to use my hands on you more often,” he said, his voice husky. I chuckled, “This is only the beginning,” I said with a smile as I pulled out of his arms. I slid my hands under his shirt, lifting it over his head. I took a breath when I looked him over. Bruised, a few scrapes here and there, but his muscles still very well defined, and the fine smattering of blonde hair on his chest leading to a delightful trail disappearing into his pants. I leaned forward and placed a kiss on his neck. Then his collarbone. The center of his chest. Just below his ribs. Right above his belly button. He shivered under my mouth. He pulled me back up, and lifted my bra, baring my breasts to his hands. He palmed each one, giving an appreciative hum. “I’m supposed to be thanking you Zev, not the other way around…” I said, my voice breathy. He smiled down at me, “This is me taking my thanks. I like touching you, it gives me vast amounts of pleasure. Should I stop?” he teased, his fingers pausing in their explorations.

I shook my head and he gave me a grin before dipping his head low to take one in his mouth. I sighed and allowed it, because he had a fabulous mouth and who could say no to that? He moved to the other, his mouth and tongue taking its time lavishing attention there. When he straightened back up, he put his hands on my face and kissed me softly, before lifting my bra over my head. I slid out of my boots and his hands moved to my hips, sliding my pants down my legs, holding me steady as I stepped out of them. I reached for his pants, unfastening them and sliding the zipper down, freeing his impressive arousal.   
He gave this sound when my hand wrapped around his cock, and his eyes closed when I started to softly stroke him. I watched his face, the subtle changes as I steered him towards bliss. The hitch in his breath. The fists at his side. The way his stomach tensed. I grew wetter the harder he got in my hand. “You’re killing me, woman,” he whispered, not opening his eyes. I chuckled. He shuddered under my fingers, and before I could protest he pulled himself from my hand. He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the blanket, and he knelt there before pulling me down. My back against his chest, his cock between my legs against my core. One of his hands wrapped around my stomach, the other sliding down between my legs.

He spread me with his fingers, and gave a very lusty sigh when he found how wet I already was. I shifted my hips, drawing his cock against me, enjoying the friction. He guided his cock to my entrance, and slowly filled me. I moaned when his hand moved to my clit, rubbing in time with his thrusts. I shifted my hips, trying to draw his cock deeper. “Ah, you are a selfish wench,” he growled, his hands moving to my hips to hold me as he moved beneath me. Filling me, again and again. I reached up and held his neck behind me, trying to stay upright as he drove me further into madness. Eventually I fell forward, catching myself on the wall, as he drove himself into me faster. His hand snaked around me, finding my clit.

I held his hand there, against me, as he thrust behind me. “You like that then, I suppose?” he teased, his voice raspy. I could barely nod, let alone speak, so close was I. He held me there, against him, as he pushed me over the edge into bliss. I covered my mouth, shaking and moaning against him. Clenching and pulsing, heart racing. He pulled me up against his chest, his hips grinding against me as he grunted his own release, his mouth against my shoulder. I reached up and threaded my fingers into his hair, gasping for breath. His arms wrapped tight around me, keeping me close to his chest.

“How do you smell so amazing down here in the pits of hell?” he asked me out of nowhere, surprising a laugh out of me.   
“Lotion. And girl stuff. Don’t question the power of my female awesomeness.”   
“Ah. I stand corrected. You are the epitome of female awesomeness, Angel.” He nuzzled my neck, taking a deep breath, smelling me. I sighed and leaned against him, grateful for the physical support. I could still feel his heart racing away against my back. After a few minutes we finally got up and silently got redressed. Once we were fairly presentable, before going back to the camp Zev grabbed my hand and pulled me into his arms. “You surprise me sometimes,” he said quietly, his mouth against my forehead. I waited, and he kept talking. “You have been tossed nothing but ridiculous problems, expected to fix them all in order to gain the help you need, and you just keep on going like it’s no big deal. We just spent the better part of 3 weeks in the underbelly of Thedas, killed so many things I lost count, but then there’s a stolen moment like this. Surprising is all.”   
I smiled and hugged him closer. “I’m resilient. And resourceful. And determined. Oh, I’m also selfish.”   
He chuckled. “You are the least selfish person I have ever met, Angel.” I just snorted. Very unladylike but then again, this morning I had destroyed the Anvil of the Void so what was ladylike going to get me down here?

“Oh but I am. When I started this whole stupid quest, it was more out of desperation to live. Then Duncan died and it was up to Alistair and I as the last remaining Wardens in Ferelden to stop the blight. Then I met you. And now my goal is not only to stop the blight, but to do so alive and hale so that I have more of whatever this is. I’ve already lost the closest person to me once. I would like to keep this one. Selfish indeed.”

“That’s… also surprising.” He fell silent, still holding me close. We stood there for a few more minutes, just enjoying being alone. Eventually, though, I pulled away and grabbed the blanket from the ground. Taking my hand, he led me back to the camp. Oghren was sitting and drinking by the fire and Wynne was asleep on her bedroll. I flopped down onto my own bedroll and Zev climbed in behind me. “Wake me in 3-4 hours Oghren, please?” I asked, yawning.   
“Yeah like you’ll actually sleep that long,” he retorted. I laughed.

“You never know!”

“Ah, who cares? Go to sleep. I’ll be here.” I nodded and with no further urging, I fell soundly asleep in Zevran’s arms.

 

Much to everyone’s surprise I slept for almost 6 hours. And they all let me. I awoke alone on the bedroll to the smell of coffee and something amazing smelling. I stretched and sat up to find the three of them talking around the fire.

“There she is,” Wynne said with a smile. She got up and brought me cup of the coffee. “I made some of the last bits of bacon I had left, and the bread. Are you hungry?” I nodded, taking a huge gulp of the far too strong but glorious coffee. “You slept for almost 6 hours, Ily. Do you feel better?” she asked me, leaning down and touching my forehead.

I blinked in surprise. 6 hours? That was the longest I had slept since we arrived in Orzammar. “Six hours? Are you sure?!” I asked. She laughed and nodded. “We let you sleep because you were exhausted.”

“Thank you. All of you. Six hours huh? Remarkable!” I laughed. Apparently I needed massages more often. I looked at Zev and he just shot me a cocky grin from across the fire. After we ate and cleaned up our mess, we doused the fire with some sand and packed up to leave. We made fairly decent time back to the city, 2 days cut off from the journey without anything left to fight. The closer we got to the city, I could communicate with Alistair again, so I let him know what had happened and that we were almost back. When we finally got there, instead of going back to the inn, I charged to the Assembly and demanded to be heard. I declared Bhelen king, even though he was a complete schmuck, with Oghren helping me explain what happened with Caridin and the forging of the new crown for my chosen king.

He declared Harrowmont as a traitor to the crown, and pledged his support to the Wardens. I left feeling totally dirty and disgusted. We went and got Alistair and the others from the inn before leaving Orzammar behind. Oghren came with us, and after an initial shock about leaving the underground.. He fit right in. With my band of misfits, filling 3 SUV’s, we headed back to Redcliffe to regroup. I could not wait to see the ass end of those bloody mountains.

On our way back, I did make a stop at the mage tower to ask them to take in a dwarf who wanted to study magic, and sent a messenger back to Orzammar to fetch her when the First Enchanter agreed to let her come.   
Back at Redcliffe, I took at least a 45 minute shower. When I finished I crawled into bed, despite it being midday, and fell asleep. At some point I woke up enough to realize Zev had gotten into bed with me, as he gathered me into his arms. I cuddled close and drifted off again. I slept for a full 28 hours. Woke up starving, and to a table covered in food in the bedroom. Zev sat at said table, reading a magazine. When he saw me wake up, he looked.. Happy to see me.   
“You had us worried, Angel. I couldn’t wake you for anything. Are you feeling better at least?” he asked. I nodded, stretching. And I did. The unending tension I had constantly felt as we traversed the deep roads was gone. I sat up and crawled from the bed, taking the sheet with me. I sat across from him and after taking a sip of the still hot coffee, I started to eat. And wow did I eat.   
I ate enough for 4 people. Zevran was astonished. When I finished, I went and got dressed, and we headed to find Alistair and Arl Eamon. Discussed the landsmeet and agreed to leave the next day to all head to Denerim. We all ate the evening meal together in the massive dining room, laughing and talking and pretending the Blight wasn’t hot on our tails. When we all retired for the night, Zevran held my hand as we meandered back to our room. “Are you truly alright?” he asked again. I laughed.

“I feel fine. I think it was just overly taxing, the whole archdemon in my head the entire time we were down there. And the not sleeping much caught up with me.”

When we got to the door, he opened it and ushered me inside. Once he had the door locked he walked over to me and pulled me into his arms. He held me close and just.. Stood there for a moment. I let him hold me, truth be told it was nice. Having someone hold me and care enough to worry. When I looked up at him he just gave me this look. Hooded eyes, that spoke a million things.   
“You’re not falling for me, are you Zevran?” I said with a smirk. He didn’t smile back, as per our usual silly snark. “And what if I am, Angel?” he asked me, his voice low. I squinted. “Zev? What are you on about?”

“Well, would it be such a bad thing? Catching feelings for one another?” he teased. I gave him a slow smile.   
“I can be totally honest here, and say that I have lots of feelings for you, Zev. More every day. Is that alright?” I asked.   
“I like the idea of that, I really do.”

His fingers threaded into my hair and he pressed his forehead to mine. “Now, about those feelings. I have some _feelings_ I think we should explore,” he said, his voice low. Heat pooled in my stomach, then his mouth was on mine. Slow and persistent, this crazy grab of tension and lust. He walked me backwards to the bex, his mouth never leaving mine. He gently laid me back, his hands guiding us down onto the dark comforter. He pulled his mouth away and have me this brilliant smile. His mouth moved to my jaw, kissing his way down my neck.

When he reached the collar of my shirt, he slowly unbuttoned one button, kissed the skin he revealed. Then the next, repeating the process as he slowly bared my chest to his gaze. He gave a mock frown at the lacy bralette I was wearing, “Where did you come from, you interfering piece of frill?” he muttered. I giggled, only he would talk to my bra as if it was a personal affront to him to be covering me. He placed a last kiss above my belly button before sitting me up to pull my shirt off. He also took off that lacy bit of frill, heaving a delightful sigh when he had free access.

“Magnificent, truly they are,” he said with a grin before pushing me back onto the bed. He kissed me again, his hands seeking out my breasts, and an appreciative hum filling the air. I pulled his shirt from his pants, sliding my hands under the sides, my fingernails scratching gently on his sides. He shivered under my hands and pulled away to give me a look. I pulled the shirt over his head, giving my own appreciative hum at the sight of his tanned chest.

He settled himself between my legs, his pelvis pressed close to mine. His mouth found mine again, and he lazily kissed me crazy. His tongue teasing mine, diving deep then inviting mine to play. This tangle of limbs, wrapping around each other, pressed as close as possible.

We stayed like that, for what seemed like hours. Kissing thoroughly and passionately, his arousal growing against my pelvis, hot and heavy. Eventually though, he finally pulled his mouth from mine, this look of immense satisfaction alight in his eyes. I quirked an eyebrow and he just shook his head. He sat up, his hands moving to the button on my jeans. He flicked it open, drew the zipper down, and hooked his fingers into the waist of them and my underwear. He eased them down my hips and legs, before tossing them to the floor. He got up on his knees, unbuttoning his own pants before moving off the bed to take them off. I laid on my side, my head in my hand, just watching. He went and turned the lights down low, plugged our phones in before coming back to the bed. He climbed up behind me, and wrapped an arm around my waist.   
He pressed his face against my neck, took a breath. Then he moved, his chest against my back, his cock against my folds. His left hand filled with a breast, and his right drawing my head back against his shoulder. “Mmmm you smell amazing, Angel,” he whispered. I smiled into the darkness. His mouth at my ear, “All I could think about yesterday while you slept was either the bone deep worry for you, and what you did to me in that stupid cave. I spent more time hard than not, thinking of your mouth and hands and the sound you made when you came for me.”

I gasped when he rubbed his cock against me, spreading my lips effortlessly, gathering my wet arousal. “And you are so wet already, it does an ego proud,” he whispered, his breath in my ear sending shivers down my spine. He rolled me forward onto the bed onto my stomach. He pulled my hips up into the air, and before I could even move, his mouth was on me. I moaned, his tongue licking and sucking at my already sensitive clit.

He chuckled against my skin at the sound of my appreciation. Then his fingers slid inside me and started pumping in and out. I pressed my face into the bed, trying to breathe and calm myself but he knew me all too well. His lips captured my clit, holding it hostage for his tongue, and with a few well aimed flicks, he had me yelling into the bed as I came, hard. Muscles clamping down on his fingers, soaking them with arousal, shudders wracking my entire body. I gasped for breath, my ears ringing and heart racing. He gave me another lick, before pulling his fingers from my still pulsing core.   
“That has to be one of the sexiest things I’ve ever heard,” he said before moving to kneel behind me. I looked back and with his eyes boring into mine, he slowly thrust his cock inside me. His eyes closed as his pelvis hit my butt. I was still throbbing from my orgasm, my muscles gripping his cock weakly. His hands gripped my hips as he started to move, this long withdrawal, before quickly thrusting it home. I gripped the sheets with my hands, and listened to the sound of his skin hitting mine, again.. And again.

He pulled my butt right against his hips, keeping his cock buried deep.

Then he was pulling me up, keeping us locked together. His hand slid down between my legs, finding my clit ready and willing. His other hand moved to my neck, guiding my head to look up at his. “I need to watch your pleasure,” he murmured, his hand moving against me, and his hips thrusting his cock ever so slowly. My eyes couldn't even focus on his lovely face.

It was all I could do to just feel. His hand on my neck, between my legs, his cock still deep inside me, the feel of his chest against my back. And then he was moving, his cock and his hand and my mind imploded. I shuddered in his arms, so close.

Then I fell into bliss. Slow and rolling, the orgasm took me. That bright flash behind the eyelids, the quick explosion of heat, the gripping pulsing pull. Muscles quaking, voice breathy and desperate. He kept moving, my own orgasm fueling his, and when he finally joined me, his own voice was hoarse as he cried out, throbbing and hot inside me.

He held me as he guided us onto the bed, bodies still locked together.

He took a breath, his hand over my heart. “You slay me, Ily. Truly, you do.” He whispered the words, making their impact that much more potent.

“No more than you do to me,” I whispered back, still only barely able to breathe.

He pulled me tight against chest, his face in the crook of my neck. “You scared me, with your super nap. Alistair sat with me several times, he was as worried as I was. Let's not go there again, shall we?”

I nodded. “I'm sorry I scared you.” And somewhere deep inside me I was glad he had worried so. Meant that maybe, just maybe he was feeling more than the list that had driven us this far. I knew I was. That quick speed up of my heart when he entered a room. The slow spread of heat when his attention was on me and no one else. The way he managed to completely strip me with his eyes and give me this sexy knowing look that curled my toes.

I fell asleep wrapped up in his arms, his body snug against mine, and my mind on him.

 

After a very.. Late start to the next morning, we all headed out convoy style to Denerim. I rode with Zevran in his car, he had the top down and I wore a sundress at his polite request. We talked nonsense for a while. And I slept for a bit. When I awoke, Zevran was singing along to ‘Close to Heaven’. His voice gave me goosebumps. I stretched in the passenger seat.   
“Why didn’t you wake me?” I asked, my voice rough from sleep. He grinned at me.

“Because you make the cutest noises while you sleep. And your dress kept slipping up your thigh with the wind and gave me delectable views of your legs and… stuff,” he said the last with an impertinent eyebrow wiggle. I scoffed, then looked down. My dress was indeed all the way up my thigh. He laughed when I moved to fix it.

“Awe, and it was such a spectacular view, Angel.” I stuck my tongue out at him. Then I had an idea. Probably not the best of ideas, but hey, we still had a couple more hours driving at least.

“Does the top of the car go up while you drive?” I asked, all innocence. He gave me a look and hit a switch, bringing the top of the car scooping over us. I gave a delighted laugh. I truly had never ridden in a convertible before and this was seriously fun.

“How good are you at keeping your hands to yourself?” I asked him once the roof was firmly in place.  
“What game are you playing, woman?”

“Just answer the question,” I whined.   
“Very, if need be. Why?”

“Because we should play a game. See all I can really think about is this morning, and how amazing that went. And,” I shifted on my seat, drawing my knee up against the back, and my back against the corner between the door and the seat, “I want to see how long you last. No touching. Me or yourself.”

“Are you trying to kill me?” he said, after he looked over to see me sliding my dress back up my thighs. I gave a low laugh.   
“No, but a little torture never hurt anyone,” I said with a grin.

“What if someone sees what you are doing, woman?” he asked, gritting his teeth.   
“Eh, they are all far enough behind us, no worries. Besides, that kind of adds to the thrill, does it not?”

His knuckles were white on the steering wheel. I shifted my hips on the seat, drawing off the lacy purple underwear I had put on only hours earlier. I stuffed them into his glove box.

“What shall I do first?” I asked him, all innocence again. He heaved a sigh.   
“Lift your dress again,” he said. I complied, baring myself to him. He glanced at me, and gulped before looking back at the road. “I’m totally getting you back for this later,” he muttered. I suppressed a laugh. “Next?” I asked.

“When was the last time you pleasured yourself?” he asked, surprising me.

“Honestly I don’t even remember. I haven’t really had a need to,” I said, feeling the blush steal up my chest into my face. He chuckled.   
“I thought not. I was just curious. I want you to do so, draw it out a bit. I want to see how you go about it, in comparison to my own fondling of your sweet skin.”   
I took a breath. I had started this silliness after all. “Your audience awaits, Angel,” he purred, casting a glance at my heated face. Damn. He totally called my bluff. I shrugged it off. Before I started however, I unbuttoned the top 5 buttons of my dress above my belt, and slid the straps from my shoulders. My breasts were barely confined by the open material. Then I thought back to this morning, how he had surprised me in the closet. Heat curled in my stomach, and an answering need fluttered lower.   
I watched his face as my hand moved between my legs, his eyes flicking to my hand before back at the road.   
“Fuck,” he muttered. I bit my lip. I slid my fingers between my lower lips, not even remotely surprised at how wet I already was. Need bubbled through me. I rubbed a finger through the wet, before setting two against my clit. I sighed, and started rubbing gently. He kept looking at me. A quick glance at my face. Then my hand. And at my hand again.

I closed my eyes and just went by feel, my fingers on my clit, setting a rhythm that built the pressure, drawing me further away. I chewed my lip, my hand moving and moving, delicious tension snaking through me.

I held my breath, wanting so much more than just my fingers.

“You are killing me, Angel,” he said, his voice strangled. I gave a low chuckle.

“Shall I stop?” I asked.

“Don't you dare. You started this, you had better finish it. And guess what? There is a rest stop up ahead. I'm stopping. And you're going to pay for this,” he growled at me. Then he adjusted his pants, where his very obvious arousal sat.

I resumed my hands movements, and as I did so, he called Alistair letting him know we were making a quick pit stop but that we’d catch up. And not to wait for us. He said it 3 times, I laughed when he hung up all flustered.

“You stop that, wench,” he growled at me, turning on his signal to get off the highway. He pulled into the deserted rest stop behind the building. When he turned the engine off he sat there with his hands on the steering wheel for a minute.

“Scoot your seat back,” I said quietly. He complied, the knocking sound loud in the confined space. I knelt on my seat, reaching for his pants. I gently unbuttoned it, lowering the zipper. His breath hissed when my hand closed around his cock. His head fell back as I leaned down and kissed it. My tongue darted out, licking around the head, drawing it into my mouth. His hand threaded into my hair, holding it back so he could watch. Watch as I sucked his cock deeper into my mouth.

He groaned when the tip reached the back of my throat, and I started to move my mouth and hand in unison. Sliding him back out of my mouth, then sucking him deep again. His hips thrust, just enough to show me how much he was truly enjoying himself. After a few minutes of this, he was trembling in his seat. I pulled my mouth from him a final time, and he looked at me all dazed.

I lifted my skirt and straddled his lap, where his hands pulled apart the top of my dress to find my breasts. Fingers swift and fierce, he pulled my breast to his mouth, his lips and tongue claiming it. When he released me, I leaned down and kissed him. Nothing slow and languid here, this was a rocket fire kiss. Exploding behind my eyeballs, heat flooding my body, arousal shaking me to my very core.   
His hands held my face there, while he thoroughly ravaged my mouth with his. I gripped his shoulders, and he rubbed his cock against my lower folds, making me moan into his mouth. When he finally released me, his hand snaked between us and guided his cock, and with a hard thrust he filled me entirely. I gasped and almost fell forward.

He chuckled, his hands moving to my hips, holding me still. Then he moved beneath me, this grind of his hips against my thighs, pelvis to pelvis. He was so hard and so very hot. My hair fell in a cloud around us, and he rubbed a strand on his face, “You smell like sexy temptation dipped in orchids,” he whispered. I gave him a brilliant smile that fell to pieces when he started to thrust his hips. Every thrust rubbed his pelvic bone against my clit, this rub, stroke, rub, stroke, thing that made my brain melt.

I cried out when I came, falling forward on Zev’s chest, my body clutching at his cock. He groaned when my clenching tossed him into his own orgasm, fingers gripping my hips very tightly. He kept moving for a few moments, long sure strokes turning my brain to mush. I twitched and trembled on top of him, my body still a pulsing aroused mess. He rubbed his hands up and down my back, trying to catch his own breath. My ears were still ringing a few minutes later when my foot decided to go to sleep.   
I lifted my head and gave him a soft kiss. “My foot is asleep. I should move soon.”   
“Nuh uh. I like you here. We can nap like this.” He closed his eyes to demonstrate. I laughed and poked him in the side, “We are not napping like this in your car, come on!”

He chucked at me and looked at me with one eye. “You are beautiful beyond words when you are all riled up, Angel,” he murmured softly, running a finger down my cheek.  
“You.. stop that.” I muttered, swatting his hand away. He caught mine however and brought it to his lips. A frisson of heat streaked up my arm, settling in my belly.   
“I mean it, no joke. I almost want to make you mad just to make your eyes flash all sexy. But alas, I shall not since my lady is in some sort of hurry to get moving,” he sighed dramatically, belying the feeling I saw in his eyes.

I kissed him again, before climbing off his lap. I tried to get a handle on what I saw there, but he distracted me by offering me a towel, and begging me to button my dress before he dragged me into the back seat to have his way with me again. It was tempting to leave the buttons undone. But I did as he asked, because we did need to go, as much as I wanted to stay here in this little cocoon of “us”.   
“Zev..” I started to say, but he put a finger to my lips   
“No. Not now,  we will talk later on. I promise.” he said, before taking my hand and kissing it again. I just nodded, and with that, he pulled out of the parking place and got us back onto the road to Denerim. Speeding of course, because who wouldn’t speed in that car?!

 

We arrived in Denerim not 10 minutes after the rest of the convoy, and I managed to not blush when Leliana laughingly asked me what had taken us so long. I did send her a glare when she asked if I was feeling better after that… rest.. Stop.. Daft wench. I took Alistair, Wynne and Zevran out into the city to get the lay of the land so to speak. Last time we had been here was even before we had cured the Arl. We hit the city on foot, not wanting to chance a car being traced back to the Arl or Grey Wardens. As we traversed the streets, we noticed with growing alarm, how much disarray the city was in. Everyone looked scared, and even though not a one of us was actually brandishing a weapon, the men got some very wary looks. Alistair and Zev were as confused as the rest of us. Zev pulled to his jacket hood, trying not to stick out.  
I approached one of the city policemen, and he introduced himself as the Captain of the Denerim PD. I shook his hand and asked if he needed any help.

Much to my surprise, he knew who we were. “Arl Howe and General Loghain put out a B.O.L.O. on you and your ginger friend there. But, since I am not a fan of either of them, and I have a city to maintain order in with half the force I usually have, I just don’t give a damn.”

I can’t tell you which surprised me more, his disdain for Loghain and Howe, or his not caring that we were Wardens. He asked us for help, mercenary troubles in one of the taverns. Which we cleared out with little effort. Then he asked us again… and again. We got the feeling his police force was manned by a bunch of 10 year olds who had zero idea what they were doing.   
As we were leaving the last “Establishment”, the Pearl strip club, we were met by a band of very angry merc’s. Luckily the PD heard about the encounter on the radio and showed up to help, it was hairy, as we were outnumbered 3 to 1. But, I don’t have a reputation for no reason.   
The Captain walked up to me when all was said and done. “People attack you on purpose?!” he asked, incredulous. I hesitantly nodded.   
“Remind me to never get on your bad side, Warden. You have my and the whole department’s thanks. You’ll get no trouble from us while you are here. That’s a promise.”

Which was better than I thought things would be. On our way back through the side streets to Eamon’s estate, we were accosted again.

This time, much to MY surprise, by more Crow’s. Fucking assassins.

“And so here is the mighty Grey Warden at long last. The Crows send their greetings, once again.” A man said all of this, grandstanding as if on a stage, meant to impress. Zevran stood quiet behind me. I could feel him tense up when he heard the voice.

“And where is Zevran? I don't see him with you. How very disappointing.” The man started to pace, rubbing at His furry chin. I just cocked an eyebrow, “Zevran? Zevran who?” I asked, with a shrug.

He gave me a mocking laugh, “Don't bother to deny it. I know full well that he travels with you.”

Before I could react, I heard Zevran remove his hood and step out from behind me, his hands raised in front of him. “Here I am, Taliesen. Tell me, were you sent? Or did you volunteer for the job?” he sneered at the shocked man.

He recovered quick enough, “Oh ho! He makes an appearance!” he said with a flourish. I snorted. Zev tossed me a glance. Taliesen continued talking, “I volunteered, of course! When I heard that the great Zevran had gone rogue, I simply had to see it for myself”

Zev scoffed. “Is that so? Well here I am, in the flesh.”

The other man turned serious, “You can return with me, Zevran. I know why you did this,” he paused to give me a look, “and I don't blame you. It's not too late. Come back and we'll make up a story. Anyone can make a mistake.”

Zevran snorted this time. I spoke up before he could however.

“Zevran doesn't need the Crows any longer,” my voice carried. He sneered at me. “Oh!? Does Zevran need to live?”

“I suspect I will do just fine, Taliesen.” Zevran smiled at me. “I'm sorry, my old friend. But the answer is no. I’m not coming back. And you should have stayed in Antiva.” Zevran sighed, this grim look of resignation on his handsome face. I wanted to reach out and smooth the worry from him, but restrained myself.   
“What is wrong with you, Zevran? That you would choose a _mark_ over your brothers? The Crows will make you pray for death, you fool!” Taliesen growled. I felt it, the growing need to move. Within mere moments, the fight was over. One my small daggers protruding from Taliesen’s eye, and a whole host of dead Crows who had popped out of the woodwork strewed around our feet. Zevran knelt by his former friend’s side.

“I.. am sorry it came to this Taliesen,” he said softly, obviously mourning the loss. With one last look, he stood up and turned to me.   
“Thank you,” he started to say. I shook my head.   
“There is nothing to thank me for. I’d die first,” I said with a whisper, “before letting them take you.” He closed his eyes and stayed silent for a minute. Alistair and Wynne checked all of the bodies then left us alone.   
“I suppose I could leave, if I wanted to,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. All the air in my chest seemed to turn to stone. Before I could reply however, “But I could also stay with you. I mean I did promise you my help. And saving the world is as noble cause as any, right?” I nodded, swallowing my fear. He pulled me into his arms, wrapping them tight around me. “You would have to kill me to keep me away,” he whispered into my hair. I squeezed my eyes shut, gripping him tight. Then I smacked his arm, making him cringe and chuckle.

“Don't scare me like that again!” I yelled at him. He laughed and put his hands on my face, pulling me close for a kiss. An effective stopgap, that.

He pulled away, pressed his forehead to mine. “I am yours, Ilyriene. I promise,” he whispered. I nodded. Then he smiled, took my hand and led me out of the alley, leaving his former comrades lying on the ground. We called it in anonymously from a payphone, and left the area quickly.

 

When we got back to the estate, I excused myself to shower. I felt dirty just having been in the same alley as Taliesen. Zevran stayed in the parlor with Alistair and Eamon.

As I stood under the hot water, I did my best not to think of what might have happened. We barely made it back to the estate, and had we not won that fight… I shuddered. Lifting my face to the hot water, I let it wash away my tears. Wouldn't do to let anyone know how deeply scared I really had been. Especially not him.

Creators. How had I not seen this coming?

Love. With a capital L. This thing was eating me alive. Filled me like a breath of fresh spring air after a hard winter. Despite the taint, the niggly feeling of *other* that lingered inside me, I felt more alive than ever. At times it made me feel sad, as Tamlen had been my first love. I had given him my best at the time though, and he died knowing I loved him. And I always would.

But this? Was fresh, and full. It was a need I never knew I had. I shaved, and washed my hair. Scrubbed my body with the soap he enjoyed so much. Eventually I turned off the water, and after wrapping a towel around my hair, I wrapped one around my torso. I went back into the bedroom to grab my lotion. And Zev was sitting on the bed.

“And this is why lascivious thoughts plague me constantly,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. I arched an eyebrow and he sighed. I walked towards him, and as I started to take off my towel he held up his hand, stopping me. Then he patted the bed next to him, and so I sat there, waited. He looked up at the ceiling, muttering “Fuck me,” under his breath. Then he shook himself.

“It seems an appropriate moment to give you this,” he said, holding out his hand.

“Zev really you don't..”

“I may not need to but I want to.” He dropped a jeweled gold earring into my into my hand. It was exquisite. I waited again.

He explained how he had acquired it on his first job ever, a merchant Rivaini Prince. He thought it beautiful and took it to mark the occasion. “I want you to have it,” he said, looking mildly flustered.

“What is this about Zev?” I asked quietly.

“I grew up with the mindset of.. Take what pleasure you can while you can, everything is temporary. And here I am with you, for months. Longest I've been with anyone that wasn't a Crow. What I'm trying to say, well, uhm,” and he stopped speaking, staring down at his hands.

“You're not falling for me, are you R.A.Z.?” my voice was gentle but my heart was racing.

“I don't know. How would one know am such a thing? I've never been in love before. Deeply in lust but never love.” He sighed. “I was taught to never feel things like this. Be cold in order to kill efficiently. And so I was cold. But this? Every fiber of my being wants.. Whatever this is.”

He looked at me then, hope warring with fear in his eyes.

“You can sell it, or keep it. Whichever you like. You helped me, and it's only right.”

I felt a cold shiver run down my back. “What are you playing at?” I asked. “What is this? Not a ‘You mean something to me’ thing?”

“Could you please just take it?” he pleaded. “It's always meant a lot to me and so have, has what you've done for me.”

“I'll only take it if it means something Zev. Stop dancing.”

He got off the bed and grunted. “You're an exceedingly frustrating woman, did you know that?!”

I just waited. “If you don't want the earring, then don't take it,” he said, his voice low. I growled and put it into his hand before stalking back into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. I heard him punch the wall. Then a stream of curses. Then silence. I sat on the floor and tried to process.

What had just happened?  

**Bzzzzzzz**

I grabbed my phone off the counter, half dreading whatever I found. A text from Alistair.

 **All-Star** **: Your presence is requested in Eamons office. Post haste. Please hurry, he's angry about something. And why did Zevran just stomp out of the house like an angry boar?**

 **Me** **: Don't worry about it. I'll be down in a couple. Just got out of the shower. Stall.**

 **All-Star** **: Ugh. I hate stalling. I usually end up talking about cheese.**

I just snorted and dropped my phone on the counter. I went into the closet and grabbed some black pants, a matching tank with a gray sweater, and undergarments. I quickly dressed, ran a comb through my hair before clipping it back, and put on some boots. I slipped my daggers into my boots and my small pistol rested at the small of my back.

I made my way to Eamons office, heard him talking with Alistair and a woman. When I entered, Alistair looked ready to kiss me. I sneered at him. Then Eamon explained why he summoned me.

Apparently Queen Anora was being held captive by none other than Arl Rendon Howe. I questioned them both thoroughly, and we devised a quick and stupid plan to get the queen back. We would convene in the morning and sneak onto the estate. I left them there and went back to my room. My empty room. I stripped and got into the bed, plugging in my phone and turning out the lights.

I finally fell asleep an hour later, and sometime after that I felt him get into bed with me. He curled up against my back and pressed his face into my hair. He whispered something but I was too far gone to hear it.

I just pulled his arm around me and went back to sleep. When I awoke, he was nowhere to be found. A flower sat on the dresser, a blue orchid. I sighed. He was going to be the death of me.

After I dressed and made my way to the dining room, I found him there with Wynne. They were arguing about leather. Of all things. He gave me a hesitant smile when I entered the room and after an imperious eyebrow, I crossed the room and kissed him. He looked shocked and Wynne just clicked her tongue at me.

I went and got a plate of food and sat by myself to eat.

“Can we talk?” he asked me quietly. I shrugged.

“Look, I..” and he was interrupted by Alistair arriving with Leliana. He sighed and apologized and said we would talk later. I shrugged again. If it was anything like last night, I’d rather talk to a wall. He sat next to me and just quietly ate his own meal. When we finished, I announced that I was leaving. To go infiltrate Arl Howes estate to rescue the Queen.

Alistair moved to protest but I held out my hand. “I'm not asking. This is happening. Alistair, Wynne and Zev are with me. Leliana, I need you to find the remaining Arls and Teryns to discuss the landsmeet. Please.” She nodded, after elbowing Alistair. I nodded to them all and left the room. Zevran chased after me, and caught up with me at our door.   
“Ily, please,” he said, out of breath. I shrugged and motioned for him to follow me into the room.

I moved about the room, changing into black leather pants, a white tank top, a deep red leather vest.   
“Will you please stop?” he asked me. I stood up from zipping my boots, put my hands on my hips. He took a breath and stepped towards me. He dropped a fine silver chain around my neck, kissed my forehead and said, “Give me time, please. I beg you.”   
I sighed. Wrapped my arms around him and pressed close. His arms circled me, and he squeezed me tight. “Time I can give you. We have to get to Anora. We can talk later. Or whatever.” I looked up at him, gave him a wry smile. “We are really good at the ‘whatever’ part, huh?” He nodded. Then he lowered his head, kissing me. Lips claiming mine, hot and sweet.   
“I am yours,” he said when he pulled away. I only nodded. Then he let me go and changed as well. When we were done, we exited the room. Little did we know how much things would change before we got back.   
  
**We made our way to the Howe estate in Denerim, sneaking in using stolen guard uniforms. We made our way through the mansion, found another Grey Warden in a cell in the basement. Riordan, someone Alistair knew from his joining ceremony. We also found the son of one of the Teryns, being held, tied down while naked, and questioned unpleasantly. We found other prisoners. We also found Rendon Howe, of all people. He was supposed to be gone.** **  
** **This led to a fight. A bloody one. In which Rendon Howe lost his life, after confessing a whole host of dirty things he had done to further the cause for Loghain. I watched him die with a great deal of glee. Sadly.** **  
** **We finally got back to Anora, but as we were escaping the mansion, the leader of Loghain’s forces showed up. With about 30 soldiers. All well armed.** **  
** **I tried explaining why were there. Anora thanks.. The other woman for a timely rescue from me, her kidnapper. I turned to confront her but before I could…**

**Darkness.**

 

I awoke to a flood of pain. Every inch of my body hurt. I was laying on something cold. And hard. I slowly opened my eyes, blinking over and over to acclimate to the dim lighting.   
“Ah, you’re awake. Took you long enough. I’m not sure why they hit you so hard,” I heard. Alistair?   
“What happened?” I asked, my voice rough. I rubbed my head, and realized I had no shirt on. I sat up too quickly, setting the room to spinning. I moaned and grabbed my head. “Why am I nearly naked?” I asked. I was in my underwear, and wearing the chain Zevran had given me. There on it hung the earring he had offered me. My throat constricted.   
“Ah. That. Well they took our clothes. At least they let us keep our underwear. For which I am profoundly thankful. I do not relish the thought of Zevran being angry at me for seeing your naked self. Or Leliana.” He shuddered. I sighed. “Also, when you turned to talk to Anora, they hit you with three taser guns. Your heart stopped for a minute. That lady, Cauthrien, she panicked. But here we are. All fine and dandy. In the Drakon Prison.”   
I rubbed my face and moved to stand. My back muscles were on fire. “They shot me in the back didn’t they?”

“Yes. Apparently you are just that scary. Now me, they just handcuffed. They had to hold Zevran at gunpoint until they left. He was very pissed off. He knocked two guards out before they could restrain him.”  
My heart almost stopped again. I rubbed my stomach, started to pace. “We need to get out of here. This.. can’t happen.” I looked about the room they had us locked in. There was a tiny camera behind a mesh screen in the ceiling, and wire meshed window in a metal door.

“There is no microphone in the camera, one of the guards was complaining about it earlier. What are we going to do? Wait for a rescue? Or use a spoon and dig us out through a wall?”  
I gave him a look. “Really? Neither. I’m going to fall down in a ‘faint’ and you are going to panic to get the guards back in here. Because I sure as shit am not waiting here for a rescue that might never be able to come.”   
Alistair gave me a look. “Are you sure this will work?” he asked. I rolled my eyes.   
“No, but it’s better than standing around in our underwear waiting.” He considered. Then he nodded.   
I pretended to stumble, holding my head. Then I fell in a heap to the floor, my eyes closed. Nearly holding my breath. Alistair started to ‘panic’ and yelled for the guards, waving his arms for the camera, yelling out the window for help. Within a few seconds two of the guards came running down the corridor outside our cell. “Stand back!” they yelled at Alistair, who just kept on insisting they hurry. And one of the guards muttered under his breath how pissed Loghain would be if the Grey Warden was dead.

When he put his fingers to my throat, I lashed out, knocking him off his feet, grabbing his taser gun. I shot him in the leg with it. When the other guy spun to shoot me with his, Alistair kicked his hand, knocking it into the air. I jumped to the side and caught it, landing on the body of the now unconscious guard. I shot the second guard with the taser and dropped the gun. Without even needing to talk, we stripped the guards and stole their uniforms.   
“Ugh,” Alistair said. “Mine smells like fish.”   
I chuckled. “Mine smells like stale tobacco. Yay!”

We gathered the guards guns and badges, and ran down the corridor further into the prison. “Damn, they really had us secluded,” I said as we traversed the hallways. Alistair just grunted. We ran into a group of trainees heading to the main lobby. We fell in line behind them, stashing our weapons behind a desk we passed. We managed to lie and manipulate everyone around us into thinking we were the new detail sent to patrol the grounds outside. And within minutes, we were let out the front gate of the most heavily guarded prison in Ferelden. 

Alistair and I made our way to a nearby diner and asked to borrow a phone, calling a very surprised Eamon. He immediately dispatched a vehicle to pick us up. Within an hour we were back at the Arl’s estate, and when the vehicle parked, before I could even open the door, it flew out of my hand and I was dragged from the SUV into Zevran’s waiting arms.

I hugged him for all I was worth, closing my eyes and thanking the Creators. Before I could pull away, my face was in his hands and his lips were on mine. But this kiss?

It said everything.

Fear.

Need.

Passion.

Love.

When he pulled away, mere seconds later, he looked down at me, still not speaking. Leliana came flying out of the mansion, jumping into Alistair's arms just as he closed the door. I smiled at Zev and grabbed his hand before walking inside. It was just coming on dinner time, so we sat and ate and discussed what happened. When I was just finishing, Queen Anora walked into the dining room. I shot to my feet, grabbing for my dagger.

Zevran’a hand stopped me. I glared down at him, “She’s the reason I got tasered! I almost died!” I hissed.

“Hear her out, Angel. Please.”

I shook off his hand. “What is the meaning of this?” I demanded of Arl Eamon. He shook his head and sighed.

Anora explained why she had ‘betrayed' us, and how she was doing it to ultimately protect us and herself. I didn't believe a single word of it. She was nothing if not a smooth liar. She gave a half assed apology and tried to dismiss what had happened. When I finally tired of hearing her blather on about Cailan this, her father that, I just rudely excused myself.

In the hallway, Eamon stopped me. “We must work with her if she is to remain Queen. Since Alistair refuses to take the throne, we have to befriend her or things with her father could go very south very fast.”

I snorted. “Forgive me if I'm not leaping for joy. The 6 holes in my back are killing me, and I'm tired. And I want to rest. I'll talk to her tomorrow and I'll try not to stab her in the eye while I'm at it.”

He just wearily nodded to me, and I stalked off. When I got to the bedroom, I leaned my forehead against the closed door and sighed. Before I could turn the knob, Zevran’s hand was there. “Allow me, Angel,” he murmured in my ear. I let him push me into the room, and heard the lock click on the door. I started to strip, needing to be rid of that guards clothes. Every muscle in my back was screaming at me. When I turned away from Zev, I heard his quick intake of breath.

“What the.. Don't move.” He commanded me. I waited, and when I heard the sound of a shutter going off I turned to see him aiming his phone at my back. And he looked infuriated. “I cannot believe that.. Vile woman.. Let those men do this to you.”

I just sighed. “Would.. You help me shower? I can't lift my arms very high,” I asked quietly. He nodded and helped me finish undressing. After I had showered, he asked me to lay on the bed on my stomach. Then he left me to fetch Wynne. Who came and with her usual mother-hen attitude, admonished me for not coming to her sooner.

She went to work healing my back. And, Creators, it felt almost as amazing as sex. This warmth radiated through me, radiating out from my back. I sighed and almost fell asleep. She rubbed a hand over my hair and have Zev a stern look. “None of your shenanigans, young man,” she said to him.

“Oh, no ma’am. I promise.”

She chuckled and left the room. Zev climbed onto the bed with me, pulling me into his arms. I laid there and tried to stay awake. “Zev?” I said through a yawn.

“Angel?”

“Why did you give me back the ring?”

“Because, you matter. I have no idea what all of this really means. But the thought of losing you made me near mad with grief. And I need you. More than your body, I need you… As a whole. Your laughter, and your smile. The way you take care of me but pretend not to. Your unshakeable honor. You..” he sighed, “ you matter, Ilyriene.”

“I love you too Zev,” I whispered before falling asleep.


	4. Forever, Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They have a war to wage, and a dragon to kill. How do they go about it? What happens next...?

**Anora was crowned Queen of Ferelden, after Alistair had signed all the necessary documents abdicating his right to the throne. She had given us full pardons and pledged Ferelden’s forces in the fight against the Blight. Despite the grisly end her father met at the end of my blade. We had left her there in the capitol to gather her army, and went back to Redcliffe to rally ours.** **  
** **The mages.** **  
** **The dwarves.**

**The elves.** **  
** **Alliances that hadn’t been tested in so many years, that there was no one left to remember the time before.** **  
** **And they were all looking to me to guide them.** **  
** **Daunting task that.**

 

**Morning -**

 

I woke up with a gasp, bolting upright in bed, my body covered in a cold sweat. The only thing I wore was the chain with the earring and the sheet. I looked around, almost frantic, only to find Zevran was gone. I scrambled off the bed, my heart racing in my chest. Fear gripped me, making my ears ring and my hands shake. I dragged the sheet off the bed and wrapped it around myself. I started to pace, trying to forget the dream I had just experienced.    
My stomach was tight and my breathing erratic, and when spots started to dance in front of my eyes I sat on the floor, pushing my back into a corner and just huddled there. 

I must have fallen asleep there, because a little bit later I awoke to Zevran trying to lift me from the corner. I swatted his hands away. He knelt in front of me, a look of worry on his face.    
“Why are you on the floor, Angel?” he asked me.    
“I… had another dream and you weren’t here and it was terrifying,” I whispered. I knew it made no sense but a panicked person didn’t need to. He pulled me onto his lap, wrapping his arms around me. I buried my face against his shirt, and just tried to breathe. He just held me like that for a while, offering comfort the only way he really knew how. He smoothed the hair away from my face, turning my head to look up at him.    
“It’s almost time, isn’t it?” he asked me quietly. I nodded, swallowing before I spoke.    
“I can feel it building, like the crescendo in a really great piece of music that is just a tiny bit off key. It will be very soon.”

He sighed. I put my hand to his face, brushing his hair aside. “Do you remember what I told you the other night?” I asked him. He nodded. “I meant every word, even if I was more asleep than not. You, Zevran, are mine.”   
“Forever,” he answered with a smile. Someday I would get him to admit it, but for now I was content knowing he did love me. I lifted my face to his, kissing him gently. He pulled me against his chest, deepening the kiss. I dropped the sheet and shifted on his lap, straddling him. I cradled his face, my lips still on his, his tongue still teasing mine.    
I jumped when a fist hit the bedroom door.    
“Ily! You’re needed downstairs,” Alistair yelled through the door.    
“I am busy Alistair,” I called out, pressing my forehead to Zev’s. He grinned at me, running his hands down my back and gripping my butt.    
“Eamon got a messenger from Denerim,” Alistair said, hitting the door again.    
Zevran’s hand snuck a little lower, touching me. I moaned softly when his fingers spread my lower lips, grazing against my clit. 

“Alistair, go away!” Zevran yelled, while sliding a finger inside me. I pressed my mouth to his shoulder, using my teeth on his skin. He growled at me.    
“Oh come on, I just saw you go in there! You can’t be..” Alistair started to say, but Zev threw a shoe at the door.   
“Give us ten minutes, Alistair!” Zevran ground out, as my hands unzipped his pants. His eyes closed when I wrapped my hand around his cock.    
“Oh for.. You two are ridiculous!” I laughed as Alistair walked away from the door.    
My laugh got smothered by his mouth taking mine, forceful and needy. Tongues and teeth and heat. I stroked him between us, his length scorching my hand. He started to rub my clit, making me twitch against him. His other hand threaded into my hair, keeping my face close. After a few moments, he pulled his mouth from mine, pressed his lips to my ear.    
“I don’t need much time, not this morning,” he whispered harshly in my ear. I shuddered in his arms, his breath hot, sending shivers down my spine. I released his cock, moved to unbutton his shirt, pulling it from his pants and shoving it off of his shoulders. He shrugged out of it and pulled me close. “Hold on, Angel,” he murmured, before grasping me and shifting to his knees then standing. He walked towards the closet door, pressed my back against it. I gasped as he rubbed his cock against me, and I moaned when he grasped it and moved to enter me.   
My head fell back against the wood, my eyes closed, and my heart started this slow heavy dance in my chest. He pressed forward, slowly filling me. So hot and hard, his body shaking as he moved. I gripped his arms, locked my ankles together behind him and moved with him, trying to take him as deep as I could. His pelvis grinding against me, his hips thrusting, creating the most intense friction. My body kept tightening, tensing as he thrust away against me.    
Then he stopped moving.    
“Say it,” he said softly, his eyes glittering at me under a halo of blonde hair. I raised my eyebrow. 

“Say what?” I asked, though I was fairly certain I knew what he wanted to hear.    
“Say what you did last night as you fell asleep.”   
The smile that broke my face then, I couldn’t have stopped it for the world. I put my hands to his face, pulled him close. Looked straight into his amber eyes. “Zevran Arainai, I love you. More than anything I have ever loved in my entire life,” I whispered fiercely. As I spoke, his hands tightened on my hips, his arms trembled. 

“Ilyriene, I love you too,” he whispered back, this wonder and fear mixing in his eyes. I kissed him then, my heart near to exploding in my chest. He slid his hand between us, and when his fingers grazed my clit I stopped breathing and shuddered against him. He grinned against my lips, his teeth tugging my bottom lip. I moaned as his fingers got serious, my entire body tensing and beginning to throb. He began to thrust again, long even strokes. Igniting me from the inside out. I gasped when I finally toppled into bliss. My hands clutching at his neck, my head pressed against the door. My back arching, body pulsing and clenching.    
His own low groans met mine when he followed me into his release. He buried his cock inside me, pressing deep and deeper still, his hands clutching at my hips as he ground his pelvis into mine. Hot and throbbing inside me, his cock spasmed every time I clenched. I gave a low chuckle, gasping for breath and still nearly unable to hear. I brushed the hair from his forehead, lodging it behind his pointed ear.    
“I mean it you know,” I said with a breathy voice.    
“Hmm?” he mumbled. I smiled a lazy and happy smile.    
“I love you,” I simply answered.    
The smile on his face? It reached deep into his eyes, and lit him up from within. “And I, I truly do love you,” he answered, wonder in his voice. “Though I have no real idea how this whole ‘love’ thing works.”    
I laughed, I couldn’t help it. “We can figure it out together, alright?” I teased. He nodded, and kissed my nose before carrying me to the bed. He sat me on the bed and went to fetch cloths. Once we were clean and dressed, we left the room.    
It had been exactly 9 minutes since Alistair had left. Zev figured he had to point that out, like it was a record or something. I just smacked his head and made my way down to the hall, my heart light and hope making me feel a bit more alive than usual.

Zevran loved me. Well and truly. That, in and of itself, was a major miracle. The fact that I found myself  _ needing _ that love was less surprising, but not a bad thing. He had become like oxygen to me, an intrinsic part of how I needed to live. I sighed when I pushed the door to the hall open, and an immediate sense of dread hit me when I saw the drooping messenger.    
Eamon and Alistair explained what was happening.    
The massive horde of Darkspawn was spotted heading to Denerim. Led by the Archdemon, a massive corrupted looking dragon. It felt like being kicked by a horse.    
It was time.    
  
**We deliberated and argued and after a while, Riordan, a Grey Warden we had rescued from Howe’s dungeon, he took Alistair and I aside. Told us the greatest news ever. News that Duncan had never gotten around to sharing. One of the 3 of us has to strike the killing blow to the Archdemon. And whoever did would die.** **  
** **See, the Old God soul that fueled the Archdemon’s life, it would flee into the next nearest and strongest tainted body. But, it would be too weak to take hold of a living breathing being, and thus both would perish in the aftermath.** **  
** **Alistair looked ready to cry. Or crawl into a hole.**

**I was furious. Had I not given the world enough? My best friend? Countless lives lost at my hands to bring together people who had this insane disdain for each other? Each taking a tiny sliver of my soul with them as they died?**

**I was furious, until Morrigan approached me. Approached me and mentioned a ritual. First time I had heard of any such ritual. But… to be honest it hadn’t surprised me.**

**Alistair and Leliana’s willingness to go along with it did. Surprise me, that is.** **  
** **And so.. The ritual happened.**

**And then we marched on Denerim.** **  
** **I have to say, looking back, it was the worst thing I have ever seen. Even after the Broodmother in the Deep Roads. The massive number of darkspawn was insanely unnerving. The stench of death that followed them. The way the ground shook when the Ogre’s rushed at you.**

**I feared for us all that day, in more moments than I care to admit. When we saw Riordan fall from his brave failure to kill the Archdemon, I took Alistair, Zevran and Wynne into the heart of the city. To the top of the prison tower we had so recently been imprisoned in.**

**There we took on the fucking dragon. And his 8 million minions. Ok not 8 million, but it felt like it. Hours. And hours. So much blood and pain and magic flying and arrows arching through the air, daggers flashing, swords clashing. Zevran was injured, Alistair was barely holding his own. Wynne was doing what she could but even she was getting weak.** **  
** **I saw the moment.** **  
** **When the Archdemon was at its weakest. And I struck.** **  
** **  
** **And a power unlike anything I had witnessed before now, hit me. I sliced through the dragon’s neck, getting showered in its blood as its head flailed about, and when it flopped to the ground, I impaled the skull. And.. then.. Nothing.**

  
  


**3 Months Later - Redcliffe Castle -**

 

“Time to get up,  _ Hero of Ferelden _ ,” Zevran whispered against my ear. I pushed him away. Buried my head under a pillow. Which was then snatched from my grabby hands. I groaned. “Why, why must the hero get up? Can’t the hero sleep? Hasn’t the hero earned some sleep?” I whined. He took my hand and pressed his lips to the back. 

“You and I both know today is the last day of these games, stupid politics.”   
I could barely bring myself to nod. Pedantic ridiculousness. “Fine. You win. Is there coffee at least?” I sat up and took the sheet with me. I scowled at him, figuring I would show as much displeasure as possible now. The sheet was pulled off of me and I sighed with gusto. “Zev? For the love of all that is sacred in this stupid world,” I started to say, but his hand covered my mouth. 

“One meeting. I never thought I would utter those horrid words but there you have it. Go to your one meeting then you have the entirety of the day to yourself. Or with me. Or whatever you so choose,” he murmured. I rolled over and looked up at him. He moved his hand, smoothing my hair from my face. I took a breath. “I'm beyond glad we're leaving in a few days,” I said quietly. I was no politician. He kissed me and moved off the bed. I sighed and climbed from the bed myself, moving to the table in our room, where food and coffee awaited. I stood there nibbling a chocolate muffin while he stared at me.

“Breakfast naked?” he asked, swallowing. I raised an eyebrow and cocked my hip.

“Something wrong with a naked breakfast?” I asked, innocently scratching my stomach. His eyes watched and he just took a shaky breath. “You, woman, are evil. Through and through. That archdemon made you sassy. And evil.” 

I laughed. Walked over and sat on his lap. Popped a piece of my muffin into his mouth. He chewed slowly, watching me with wary eyes. 

“Zev. Are you ok?” I asked. He nodded, looked to be thinking for a minute.

“What if the Wardens..” he started to say but stopped.

“I've given enough. They, can quite honestly, kiss my ass. I'll, we'll, go to Weisshaupt and I'll present myself as needed, try to give Alistair some time with Leli before he’s summoned. Then I'm taking some much needed time off. We can go anywhere. Val Royeaux, or even the Free Marches.”

“We?” he asked, uncertainty darkening his eyes. I nodded. 

“Very much ‘we'. Unless..” now I was uncertain. I moved to stand, and his arms grabbed me, holding me there.

“There is no ‘unless'. I am yours. If you'll have me,” he said with a smile. I grinned at him, dropped my muffin on the table and then grabbed his face. “Oh you're,” and I kissed him, “most definitely,” kissed him again, “mine.” I punctuated that with another kiss. He sighed and kissed me back, this glide of tongues tasting like coffee and chocolate and the sinful things we would rather be doing. I reluctantly pulled away, getting up and going to get dressed. 

Zevran escorted me to the main hall. Alistair, Leliana, Arl Eamon, Isolde and Bann Teagan all stood up at the head of the room. I looked at them all like they were weird. Because they were. Damn this hero crap.   
“Ah, there you are, Hero,” the Arl said with a grin. He smiled bigger when I grimaced at his use of the title I had asked him repeatedly to stop using.    
“Yes, here I am,” I said, my tone a little more wry than I had intended. If Queen Anora was trying to give me Amaranthine again, she was sorely mistaken. I wanted nothing to do with that hell-hole. Howe’s heirs could have it, or whatever. I stood in front of the rest of them, looking at them all as they just stared at me.    
“So. We have discussed it at large, and seeing as you turned down the Arling the Queen wanted to gift you with,” Eamon said, before I snorted. He admonished me… with his eyebrow. “As I was saying, we all felt you deserved something more than a long winded promise to better the lives of the elves in Ferelden. I admit, trying to find an admitted nomad something she would use was a difficult task. But, we all agreed. You will have permanent access to every one of my houses in Ferelden, no matter who is in residence at the time. As well as this,” and he handed me a card.    
“That will get you hotel rooms anywhere in Thedas. No charge to you. You will always have a bed to sleep in, Ily,” Alistair spoke up. Leliana grinned at his side, holding his hand behind her back. “You always seemed grumpy when the ground was cold and lumpy when we were on the road. And this.. Is a simple thing. And eventually when you want to settle down, you must tell us. Because we want to help with that as well!” Leliana said, her eyes practically sparkling at me. I felt the knot in my stomach ease a little.    
“Here I thought you all were trying to get rid of me,” I joked. Isolde smirked but stopped with a look from Teagan.    
“Never, my lady. You will be welcome amongst the Guerrin households, for as long as you so wish. We owe you everything, you not only saved my brother, but Ferelden as well. Nothing can really pay that back,” Teagan stated, executing a small bow. I swallowed.    
“I’ve been summoned to Weisshaupt.”    
Alistair’s face fell. “When do we leave?” he asked with a sigh. It was my turn to grin.    
“You will go on your honeymoon. I’ll leave the day after the wedding. Zevran is going to accompany me, whether or not they like it. And when you get back, you can go deal with those stodgy old people yourself.”   
Alistair gaped at me. “I can’t defy orders, Ily.” A great deal of indignance cloaked his words. I snorted again.    
“Really? Who said YOU got the orders? I could just say, ‘oh, you wanted BOTH of us?’ and be done with it. It’ll be fine. Besides, you’ve earned a honeymoon. And a beautiful wedding.”   
Leliana rushed forward and wrapped her arms around me. “You are a blessing, Ilyriene Mahariel,” she whispered in my ear. I hugged her back. She stepped back and everyone started talking at once. I glanced back at Zevran and he just gave me this half smile and a nod. I knew we were going to be fine.    
  
**The Next Day -**

We got up early, intent on using our day wisely to prepare Leliana for her big day. Her and Alistair had gotten a small simple marriage in Denerim about four months back, with only Morrigan, Zevran, Wynne and myself in attendance. The wedding was for their families to attend. None of them knew. Leliana had a gorgeous cream colored strapless dress, and looked like a frothy princess. She was beyond ecstatic, even with Morrigan still nowhere to be found. However, we weren’t going to let that cloud the day. 

Wynne, Bodhan and Sandal, Levi Dryden, Oghren and Shale were all in attendance. Zevran had reluctantly agreed to be Alistair’s best man, and Leliana had insisted on me being her maid of honor. Again. I got to wear this strappy satin navy blue dress that was pretending to be modest. I kept trying to tug the top up but after the 3rd time Leliana slapped my hands away I gave up. Zevran was wearing a gorgeous suit, with a navy blue bowtie and cumberbund, with a midnight blue Andraste’s grace tucked into his lapel.    
When I finally had Leliana’s hair braided into a loose crown on her head, and the little sprigs of white Andraste’s grace tucked into the loose curls, she was ready to go. She looked at me in the mirror. “You know none of this would have happened without you,” she said quietly. I nodded. “I don’t think I will ever be able to express how much it truly means to me,” she said. I nodded again. She turned around and grabbed my hands.   
“Promise me you will let me know if you and Zev plan to marry. Please?” she begged. I laughed.    
“Not sure when that will happen. Or even if. I don’t even know what I want right now, other than to stop traveling. So tired of traveling. But today isn’t about me, Leli,” I admonished her with a smile. I brushed my finger down her pale cheek. “You make a fabulous bride,” I said with a softer smile. She blushed and turned back to the mirror. “I feel so ready to begin forever, for real this time,” she said. I grinned. “You certainly look ready!” I said. She stood up and smoothed her hands over the frothy dress, and took the flowers I handed to her.    
We left the bedroom and headed outside to the garden. Alistair stood by a giant fountain, looking beyond relieved to see Leliana behind me. Conan, my Mabari, trotted up the aisle ahead of me, carrying a little basket with the rings in it. He was so careful to not drop them, I was hard pressed not to giggle as I walked ahead of her up the aisle, my eyes on Zevran who stood next to Alistair. I couldn’t wait to peel that suit off of him. And from the look in his eyes, the feeling was mutual. When Leliana got to Alistair, he took her hands and kissed her knuckles. A collective “Aaaaawe” swept through the attendees. Then the ceremony began. And rings were exchanged. Kisses were had.    
The party commenced. While Leli and Alistair were off getting copious amounts of congratulations, we danced, ate, drank and were fairly merry. After a particularly sexy song, I took Zevran’s hand and led him from the ballroom. We snuck off into one of the tiny anterooms, and after he locked the door, I wrapped my arms around him. “I missed you today,” I said wistfully. He chuckled.    
“You just missed my hands,” he said with a mock sneer, gripping my butt through my dress. I smiled up at him. “Maybe, I just missed  _ you _ , Zevran,” I said quietly. He sighed. I stood on my toes, bringing my face closer to his. “Kiss me,” I begged. I didn’t have to ask twice. His mouth pressed softly to mine. Mine opened beneath his and with that the kiss deepened. Heat pooled in my belly, and shivers tingled their ways down my spine. He crushed me against his chest, his heart doing a rapid dance against my own. He reluctantly pulled his mouth from mine, then walked me backwards to the desk in the room. I raised my eyebrow, just before he lifted me onto the top of it. He stepped between my legs, and deftly untied the pretty bow behind my neck that was holding my dress in place.

He gave this appreciative hum as he tugged the top of my dress down, his hands gently cupping my breasts. I leaned back, bracing my hands on the desk behind me. He dipped his head, taking a breast into his mouth, lavishing attention with his tongue and teeth. Gentle and wet. He moved on to the other one, paying as close a mind to it as he did the first. When he finally stood back up, I was shivering on the desk. He slid his hands up my legs, up and under my dress. “Alas, you are actually wearing underwear!” he exclaimed with a grin.    
“Uhm, yes. I wasn’t in the mood to stand there, where a breeze could pick things up and show the world what is only yours,” I murmured in reply. He gave this low growl, running his fingers across my pelvis and down between my legs. He kissed me softly, as his fingers snuck under the edge of the flimsy lace covering my lower lips. He kissed me again, this delectable barely there touch of his lips to mine as his fingers parted me. I sighed against his lips when his finger slipped inside me, his thumb sliding up and grazing my clit. “How is it you are always so ready?” he muttered against my mouth. I started to blush.    
“Only for you,” I whispered, before pulling his mouth fully to mine. Wild clash of tongues and teeth, a kiss rife with need and passion. My hands untied the tie about his neck, then unbuttoned his shirt, never breaking our kiss. Heat swirled through me, his hand slowly driving me mad. I tugged at his bottom lip with my teeth as I unfastened the cumberbund and let it fall to the floor. Pulled his shirt from his pants, scraping my nails down his stomach. 

He shivered under my fingers as I unbuttoned his pants, sliding my fingers into the top of his own underwear. I pulled my mouth from his as I freed his cock from his pants, watching his eyes as they became glazed. I smiled, kissed his chin as I started to stroke him slowly, moving at the same pace as his own hand on me. His free hand covered mine on his cock, squeezing and stroking with me. Closing his eyes, his head fell back and his entire body shuddered. 

I pressed my lips to his neck, rubbing my teeth over his pulse. His cock twitched in our hands when I licked where I had nipped his skin. His hips started thrusting, pushing his cock further and further into my palm, and I could feel myself getting so close, throbbing and needy. My thumb stole the bead of moisture that dripped from the head of his cock, aiding in the smooth glide of my hand over it. One stroke.. Two more. Then his hand was pulling mine from his and he was pulling me from the desk. He turned me to face it, putting my hands palm down on the surface, his lips at my ear, “Don’t move, my luscious creature,” he murmured in my ear. I nodded and waited to see what he was up to.    
His hands slid up under my dress again, this time to pull my underwear down my hips. He dropped them to the floor and then his hand was there, caressing me again, finger sliding inside me. Then it was gone, and his cock was nudging at my entrance. He slowly pressed it inside me. Hot silky heat, hard and mine. When his hips were pressed against my butt, he wrapped his arm around me under the dress, pressing his fingers to my clit, giving it a soft flick. His hips started to move then, withdrawing then pressing his cock home again. I moaned, reveling in the feel of him buried deep inside me. I dropped my head onto my hands on the desk as he started to thrust in earnest. I gripped the wood, bracing myself as he slid himself in and out of me effortlessly.    
The building pressure was almost exquisite in its pain, hot and heady. My breasts pressed to the cold of the desk, his hand scorching my side, the other still persistently rubbing my clit. I could feel my whole body tightening, his fingers digging into my hip. Ears ringing, stomach tense, muscles throbbing around his cock. With every thrust, every rub, his body took mine a little closer to that inevitable edge.    
And then.. He stopped. His hips pressed to my butt, his hands still. I tried to look back at him, but was stopped by his lips against my ear. “Say the words, Angel,” he whispered, his breath sending tremors through my body.    
“Which words would those be?” I asked breathlessly, though in truth I knew the answer.    
He dug his pelvis into me, pressing a little deeper. I gasped, “Zevran, I love you, ar lath ma, vhenan,” I whispered. His hand tightened on me for a second. “It’s so sexy how you say that, Elvhen rolls off your tongue like spiced honey,” he said. And in that ridiculously amazing accent of his it sounded far dirtier than it actually was. He pressed his lips to my shoulder, and started to move again. Long, slow sure strokes, his fingers following the same rhythm. Within a couple minutes, my body shook beneath his.    
I pressed my mouth to my hands when I finally came, trembling and hot on the desk. When he joined me a moment later, his hands gripped my hips, keeping me close, and his cock inside me as far as it could go. Throbbing and pulsing, muscles gripping and greedy. His cock twitched and spilled deep. I shuddered where I lay, my heart hammering away at the wood beneath me. He stroked his hands down my back, gentle and caring.    
“I don’t think I’ll ever tire of hearing you say those words.” he admitted, shocking me. I glanced back over my shoulder.    
“Who said you should have to? It’s almost thrilling, isn’t?” I asked, His eyes on mine, he nodded slowly. I stood back up, his body still locked with mine, and pulled his arms around me, pressing one of his hands to my still racing heart. His mouth pressed to my hair, kissing me. “Feel that?” I asked him quietly.   
“Of course,” he answered, sounding dubious.    
“Only you have ever brought me to that,” I whispered. 

“Oh, really now?” he teased. I nodded. “While you were not my first, you were the first to truly excite me this way. Everyday is an adventure with you. And I regret nothing.”   
“What do the words mean?” he asked me.    
“Ar lath ma, vhenan?” 

“Yes. You’ve said them before. But I don’t remember much of the elven my mother spoke when I was young.”   
I smiled and leaned to the side so I could look up at him. “It means, I love you, my heart.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I reached up with my right hand and caressed his face. “We should get back to the party,” I said reluctantly.    
He nodded, then finally spoke. “They are beautiful words, and a beautiful sentiment,” he said, before kissing me softly. I smiled up at him as he pulled away. We spent a few minutes collecting ourselves, and I may have used the desk a little more than I would have liked to admit, for support. He kept chuckling at his manly prowess pushing me to such things.    
I helped him re-tie his tie, straighten his shirt and cumber bund. But he snatched my panties from the floor and pocketed the stupid things before I could stop him. I tried to steal them back but stealing from a thief is.. Useless. He grabbed my hand, entwined his fingers with mine, and raised my knuckles to his lips.    
“I am yours, Angel,” he said with a twinkle in his amber eyes, “but I am keeping these until we get to our room later.” I groaned. He laughed, pulling me from the little room. I excused myself to use the restroom when we got back into the ballroom, only to be accosted by Leliana when I was trying to exit.    
“Did you sneak off and have dirty relations with that handsome rogue?” she teased me. I raised my eyebrow.    
“Would you like a play-by-play?” I asked her. She blushed and stepped close to me, “No, I only know because.. Ali and I tried to sneak in there and the door was locked. And we could hear him talking.”   
I laughed. “Well at least we all enjoyed the hell out of this party!” I declared, getting her to laugh with me. We went back to the ballroom and danced the rest of the night away. When he and I fell into bed hours later, we were at this giddy point of exhaustion, where we couldn’t keep our hands to ourselves, hastily stripping and tumbling onto the mattress in a tangle of heat and sex and limbs. And when he pushed me into my second mind numbing orgasm of the night, I knew then that I was well and truly home.    
Who would have thought, even a year ago, that I would fall in love with an ex-Antivan Crow assassin who had been sent to kill me. But spectacularly failed so badly that I felt an immediate need to keep him. Against the advice of everyone I knew. Now? He was more important to me than my next breath. And it felt marvelous. I fell asleep in his arms, his breath on my neck, and his hand over my heart, where it belonged. 

  
  
**We traveled for a while, heading to Weisshaupt. I turned down the new position they wanted to give me as Warden Commander of Ferelden. I had done enough for a while. I told them I was taking some time off, so to speak. They weren’t happy, but what could they say to the Hero of Ferelden? The stopper of the Blight, killer of the dreaded Archdemon. I wasn’t out of touch with them, I was just taking a much deserved break. I informed them Alistair would come once he had his affairs settled and in order. Then, I marched out of that ridiculous compound and back into the world.** **  
** **Zevran stayed with me, as we hopped from one place to another, driving in his sexy little sports car across the breadth of Thedas.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not the end of Zevran and Ilyriene. They are going to get a little break, as I have art and other fics to see to for a bit. But I'll be back to fill you in on their doings. I promise - they are so fun to write! I won't be able to help myself!   
> I want to thank you all for reading, and invite you all to please leave comments if you wish!   
> Let me know what you think they'll be up to? Where should they go?   
> Again.. You all are so awesome <3


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